


Full Moon Roast

by VulpesVulpes713, watsonthebox



Series: Fic Wars [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Barista Lance, Coran - Freeform, Fic Wars, Keith and Shiro are Adoptive Siblings, Laith, M/M, One story, POV Keith (Voltron), POV Lance (Voltron), That's right, Voltron, Werewolf AU, Werewolf Keith, Werewolf Shiro, also coffeeshop au?, and allura is here, because this is, hunk the cook, implied nsfw, just hasn't been mentioned yet, klance, klance angst (probably), klance fluff (hopefully), pidge the...idk what pidge does, some gore, some violence, two themes, vld, voltron werewolf au, werewolf coffee shop au, werewolf lotor, werewolf zarkon, wink - Freeform, wow that's a thing now I guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-06
Updated: 2017-12-02
Packaged: 2019-01-09 15:07:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 51,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12278985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VulpesVulpes713/pseuds/VulpesVulpes713, https://archiveofourown.org/users/watsonthebox/pseuds/watsonthebox
Summary: This is a Fic War, meaning there will be two authors, ten (?) chapters, TWO THEMES, and one fic. Between myself and Watsonthebox, we'll be writing a story with two themes: mine is a werewolf au, and theirs is a coffee shop au. Our job is to weave a tale using our two themes, and try to wrench it away from the other whilst keeping to the plot.I went first, and here's the rundown:Keith is a werewolf. His life is pretty bad right now, ain't gonna lie. With Lotor taking control of the pack in Zarkon's absence, he and Shiro aren't in a great spot.Especially after getting his ass handed to him in Challenge.Right now the only good thing in Keith's life is this cup of coffee he's hoping will ward off this goddamn headache. What could go wrong with that?As for Lance, his job at the Full Moon Roast is starting off like it usually does: with him bored out of his mind as the regulars shuffle through. Only, when the bell rings and he glances up from his crayon written will, he starts to think...maybe today will be different.Because damn, this stranger is hot. And moody. And maybe just a little bit of a flirt.Or a lot of a flirt. But Lance has always liked a challenge.





	1. Naked and Afraid. Or maybe just tired.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first chapter of the FIC WARS! MWAHAHAHA
> 
> Enjoy this werewolf themed opening!

Waking up in a strange place was never a great way to start the morning.

 

Waking up in a strange place with a pounding headache didn’t help matters.

 

And waking up in a strange place with a pounding headache and a severe lack of clothing was just adding insult to injury.

 

Granted, Keith had been in similar situations like this before, but those, for the majority, had  involved a bed beneath him, or at the very least a couch, and his foggy memories from the night before could usually be accounted for by the heavy use of alcohol. 

 

But as unfavourable as it was to wake up in such conditions, feeling the colossal weight of shame sit uncomfortably in his gut as he rubbed sleep from his eyes, Keith could at least sneak away from whoever’s bed he had made it back to, and pretend the entire night hadn’t happened.

 

This time, he didn’t think he’d be so lucky. 

 

_ Where the fuck am I? _

 

An acceptable first thought to have upon realizing he was not at home in the safety of his own room. It was usually accompanied by:  _ Who the fuck is that? _ , but as Keith looked around at his surroundings, he registered that he was entirely alone.

 

_ Not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing… _

 

He would decide later. First, he needed to find his clothing.

 

Except, the place Keith found himself waking up in was not one he was familiar with. Sure,  _ most _ places he woke up in fell under that category, but at least they were all some sort of house...like an apartment or a basement suite. 

 

This? 

 

This was the middle of a goddamn warehouse!

 

_ Interesting… _

 

Keith’s memories were still a blur as he sat up, clutching at his head as his brain threatened to move out, and he allowed himself a moment to grow accustomed to the pain, until it was more of a tolerable ache than anything.

 

_ I need water. _

 

Only, Keith had a lurking suspicion that his headache wasn’t alcohol related, and no amount of water would clear the throbbing until he had fully recalled what had transpired the night before. 

 

_ Whatever. Clothes first, crippling self-hatred later.  _

 

Keith made to stand, only to find that his head wasn’t the only part of his body protesting that morning. His side, now on fire with the effort of standing, was bruised so badly Keith was almost certain he had been drenched in purple paint, and his ankle was stinging with the aftermath of a bad sprain. 

 

_ What happened?  _

 

But the thought went unanswered; his mind still sorting through the overwhelming amount of confusion the early dawn had brought. 

 

Keith re-focused his efforts at clothing retrieval. 

 

By some happy miracle, a pile of garments had been piled neatly in the corner of the warehouse, which Keith realized must have been abandoned and forgotten, due to the thick layer of dust littering every surface. His relief was short-lived however, as he noticed a note folded on top of the pile, and his stomach dropped sickeningly as he recognized the writing.

 

_ Keith, _

_ Find me as soon as you’ve changed back.  _

_ We need to speak  _ _ ASAP. _

_ -S. _

_ P.S. There’s a first aid kit in the box to your right. I put it in there so you wouldn’t crush it with your fatty wolf weight, which, by the way, nearly put my back out.  _

_ You owe me big time. _

  
  


Keith knew the last part of the message was supposed to lighten the mood, but as he sat there on the floor of the warehouse, blood- _ my blood- _ mixing lethargically with the dust, a feeling of dread washed over him, bringing with it the clarity needed to recall the events of the night previous. 

 

_ Oh...fucking hell. _

 

Keith groaned, both in pain as his head pulsed, and in regret for his actions. Everything came rushing back: the meeting, the fight, the  _ real  _ fight...the... _ the ass whooping. _

 

_ Wow, I got obliterated back there. _

 

_ I’m surprised Lotor left me alive. _

 

_ Except...what if he hadn’t meant to? What if Shiro- _

 

Keith shut his eyes as he tried to remember what exactly had gone down.

 

_ The full moon, Lotor’s call, me and Shiro...we were together when we heard it… _

 

Though Lotor’s summoning howl didn’t contain the same level of draw as Zarkon’s, it was still difficult to ignore, and as it echoed righteously through the darkened alley outside their apartment, Keith and Shiro had had no choice but to obey.

 

_ He’s not even the true alpha. We should have been able to resist! _

 

But that hadn’t been the case. Alpha or not, Lotor was still Zarkon’s son, and with him currently out of commission after a particularly grizzly fight against an opposing Were, Lotor had taken it upon himself to take his father’s place as leader of the pack.

 

_ Which is against the rules. Lotor knows the ways. _

 

But regardless of what Keith knew about how the packs functioned, his Were instincts were too strong to ignore, and both he and Shiro had ventured out beneath the pale light of the full moon, vigilant and on edge as they traversed the streets to Lotor’s location. 

 

_ I should have known something was up.  _

 

_ Should have called for backup...or-or kept Shiro away. Something! _

 

Keith shook his head, which wasn’t the wisest decision, and forced himself to continue sifting through the memories. 

 

_ We met on the far side of the river… _

 

Nothing unusual about that really, since it was a good distance from the city, and at night only the wayward and derelict of society could be found lurking around the place; people no one would miss. It was the perfect place for a pack meeting to occur, and the surrounding forests were rich with prey should any of them need to feed.

 

_ Which….yeah...I think I fell under that category. _

 

The thing with Weres is that their bodies required a certain level of sustenance that cannot be achieved on a mundane diet. No amount of raw steaks would do the trick, no matter how hard Keith tried.

 

No.

 

In order to remain sane as the Changing occurred, a Were needed something more. Something richer….

 

Something human.

 

It was detestable, and Keith hated himself for it, but, as he had said: it was the only way to stay sane...and the park provided.

 

Keith felt a shiver run down his spine, and elected to clothe himself to ward off a cold. Not that his body would allow itself to get sick - the wolf virus that caused the Changing made sure of that - but the soft caress of his red hoodie helped calm the nerves eating away at his insides. 

 

_ Thank you Shiro… _

 

The thought of his adoptive brother tarnished the comfort the clothing brought, and Keith slowly crawled over to the crate the note said contained a first aid kit as his mind provided explanations.

 

Lotor and the rest of the pack were waiting when Keith and Shiro had arrived, none of them in wolf form, which was a good sign. 

 

_ They were all calm. In control. _

 

Contrary to popular belief, the full moon actually holds little sway in the Changing process, especially after the first few times. Changing can occur whenever the Were requires it, but does have a strong correlation with the instinctual side, and thus requires the Were to have a good handle on their emotions. 

 

_ Which I guess I don’t,  _ Keith thought bitterly to himself as he rummaged through the kit. It contained the basics: bandages, ice-packs, and a few slings, all of which Keith ignored in favour of popping several Ibuprofen before attempting to roll his joints and massage out any kinks. 

 

His side was basically screwed for the most part, with sleep being the only cure he could think of, but with the way his night had turned out, Keith knew a decent rest was a long way off. 

 

_ Why hadn’t I just kept my stupid mouth shut! _

 

Lotor had been wearing a eerie smirk on his face as he and Shiro had approached, and Keith had had to suppress the flicker of annoyance in his gut as they joined the circle.

 

_ A circle of jerks and bullies and cowards. _

 

There weren’t many packs in their city, though not for lack of trying. Zarkon, when he had come to power, had made sure to dominate every alpha in the area, taking over their packs until he was running one of the largest ones Keith had ever heard of. 

 

Keith’s mother had been one of those alphas, and though he remembered little of the incident, being only four at the time, Keith had heard the tales. 

 

And none of them ended well.

 

Luckily Shiro had been in the same pack as him, and had taken him under his wing with his mother vanquished. Keith had only ever been grateful that Shiro was with him as Zarkon threatened them with death should they choose to leave his pack, but there were times he wished his adoptive brother would challenge Zarkon for the position of alpha. 

 

_ He could have done it.  _

 

_ Would have made a great pack leader. _

 

And the others beneath Zarkon’s tyranny had known that as well, which was probably the reason Zarkon had sent ten of his stronger members to do away with Shiro before he got bold enough to try. 

 

Keith remembered that night well: the blood, the screams...the absolute terror in Shiro’s voice as he was dragged out of their apartment, out into the streets and nearly torn apart as Zarkon’s thugs Changed. 

 

_ Shiro almost died that night… _

 

Thankfully a few sympathizers had stepped in before things took a turn for the worse, but Keith had sat by uselessly as he watched his brother, the only one in the world left to protect him, be taken away to the hospital under the guise of a dog attack.

 

_ If only they knew… _

 

Shiro had survived, by some miracle, but hadn’t been the same afterwards. His fire was gone, replaced with fear as Zarkon laughed in his face, pointing out his new weakness to the others as they all gaped at the place Shiro’s right arm had been later that month.

 

_ “Try challenging me now pup,” _ he had taunted, and the pack had watched as Zarkon Changed, swiping one massive claw across Shiro’s face and leaving him bleeding on the ground as he tried to control his tears. Keith, at the tender age of ten, hadn’t been able to do anything. 

 

He still cursed himself late at night when nightmares of that event surfaced: Zarkon Changing back to his human form and pointing to the convulsing figure of Shiro as Keith tried to staunch the bleeding over his nose. 

 

_ “This one’s been marked as a traitor. I’m leaving him alive as an example to the rest of you: run, and you die. Try and defeat me, and you die.”  _ He had pointed to Keith then, malice in his eyes as a horrible grin twisted his features.  _ “Your Champion is nothing more than a worm beneath my feet. Best not to take after him pup.” _

 

And so it had gone, with Zarkon’s rule over the largest pack in the history of their city running amuck in the streets; killing innocent mundanes for sport. Many had tried to flee, but Zarkon’s promise had held true. 

 

It was only after he was pushed to the brink of death by a wandering alpha that an opportunity had arisen. Many had fled for their lives that night, and Keith had urged Shiro they do the same, but Shiro had disagreed.

 

_ “We need to stay and try to protect those that are left. Zarkon’s not dead. He’ll come back. And Keith…” _ the fear in Shiro’s voice would haunt Keith’s memories for the rest of his life, _ “He’ll find us. And he’ll kill us.” _

 

So they had stayed. 

 

And then Lotor had taken charge.

 

Keith could admit that Lotor’s rule was better in comparison to Zarkon’s, but not by much. He ended the random killings, and commanded the pack only hunt the scum of the city, to keep the attention off their backs. 

 

With so many having fled after news of Zarkon’s defeat reached their ears, Lotor’s pack was much smaller, though no less intimidating. His followers were loyal to him, and it seemed that Shiro and Keith were the only ones still opposed to his leadership.

 

Because, despite him being better than Zarkon, in his own twisted way, he was not the alpha. 

 

_ He didn’t defeat his father.  _

 

_ He has no right to this pack. _

 

And, in hindsight, Keith should have kept those thoughts to himself.

 

After joining the circle, Lotor had made an announcement; one that shook Keith to the core, and he knew Shiro felt the same.

 

_ “Zarkon is as good as dead. I am the new alpha.” _

 

There had been a mixture of reactions, most relieved to hear Zarkon had died, but others skeptical. 

 

_ Because, from what we had heard, Zarkon was growing stronger. He was getting better. _

 

But Keith had elected to ignore those doubts in favour of stepping forward.

 

_ Stupid. I shouldn’t have done it. _

 

_ Alpha or not, Lotor is still stronger than me. _

 

_ Stupid! _

 

But the damage had been done, and Keith cringed in pain as he recalled what had gone down.

 

_ “You aren’t the alpha,” _ he had said, and the silence of the pack had been deafening. He remembered hearing Shiro’s startled gasp behind him, but hadn’t stopped.  _ “You didn’t defeat Zarkon in battle. The rights to the pack don’t belong to you.” _

 

His words had rang true, and around the circle there had been several nods of agreement. By the laws, if a Were alpha died from natural causes, or was killed by another who didn’t claim the rights of the pack, then it was dispersed. Anyone had the opportunity to create a new one, and become alpha themselves, either by gaining followers voluntarily, or by defeating challengers.

 

It was trivial, but it was law, and Lotor had blinked back rage as Keith had pointed out this fact.

 

_ “This pack is no longer,” _ Keith had said, voice beginning to tremble despite his best efforts at keeping it strong, but Lotor’s slow approach towards him was nothing if not terrifying. 

 

_ “Is that so?” _ he had hissed, voice low and hostile as yellow eyes -  _ he’s beginning to Change! - _ tore through Keith.  _ “Well, by all means then, who choses to follow me?” _

 

The question was a test, Keith knew, and he had allowed himself to glance nervously around the circle to see if anyone would support him.

 

And most had; but others had turned and fled without meeting Keith’s eyes. Not even bothering to thank him for helping them escape.

 

_ Cowards! _ had shot through his mind, but so had, in a much weaker voice:  _ Take me with you! _

 

At least Shiro had stayed, and remained watching Keith and Lotor with narrowed eyes, waiting to see what would happen next.

 

He hadn’t had to wait long.

 

_ “Your laws are correct pup,” _ Lotor had spat, seeing the members of his pack flee, but there were still those who remained loyal, and were now edging closer to them as the circle dissolved away.  _ “Now, which side are you?” _

 

Another trick question, Keith knew now, but in that moment he hadn’t been thinking properly. His only thoughts were of getting himself and Shiro as far away as possible from this place. 

 

_ I need to get Shiro somewhere safe. _

 

And that thought had pushed him into his following actions.

 

Instead of answer Lotor, Keith had turned towards Shiro. 

 

Again, thinking back, Keith should have kept his mouth shut. 

 

_ “Let’s go,” _ he remembered whispering, freedom so close he could practically feel it take residence in his soul, but then it had all gone downhill, and Lotor’s twisted mind had them trapped.

 

_ “Nuh-uh-uh,” _ Lotor sung, and Keith had whipped around to face him once again.  _ “What’s this? Forming your own pack?” _

 

Keith recalled his confusion, and the way Shiro had tensed beside him.

 

Still he answered.

 

_ “What? No, we’re leaving-” _

 

_ “Looks like a pack to me,” _ Lotor had interrupted, and behind him his remaining followers had laughed.  _ “Don’t your precious laws mention something about groups of two being considered as such?” _

 

Keith had stiffened, heartrate kicking up a notch as he deciphered Lotor’s intentions.

 

_ “Not if the members are related. Shiro is my brother.”  _ Keith had shot back, but instead of Lotor’s grin dissolving, as Keith had been hoping, it only spread. It was a look Keith never wished to see again. 

 

_ “But you and the Champion,” _ Shiro flinched at the mockery,  _ “are not blood, as I recall. Therefore, by the laws, you’re a pack.”  _ Lotor stepped forward, and Keith was rooted in place as he fought off his instincts to run.  _ “And, by the laws, I challenge you for position of alpha.” _

 

Shiro had tried to interfere. He had tried pulling Keith back in favour of taking up the challenge himself, but Lotor was right. The laws were true, and had Keith only kept his mouth shut, he and Shiro would be miles away by now.

 

_ But you didn’t keep your stupid mouth shut. And now look at you. _

 

Still, Keith hadn’t been able to back down. He  _ couldn’t  _ back down; not from a challenge. His blood was already beginning to boil as his instincts took over, and he shoved Shiro back to protect him. 

 

_ You couldn’t fight for me anyways Shiro. Not with a missing limb. _

 

And with a final glance back in his brother’s direction, eyes sorrowful and full of remorse, Keith let the Change take over, and let his guilt over preventing himself and Shiro from escaping fuel the fire within.

 

Keith fell back on the floor of the warehouse, closing his eyes as he recalled, rather vividly, the fight that had ensued. 

 

Lotor’s wolf form was much larger than Keith’s; his fur stark white and contrasting heavily with Keith’s own midnight coat. But Keith hadn’t let that fact deter him. If anything, Lotor’s bulk had helped Keith land a few solid blows as they fought, but there was only so much his agility could do before Lotor’s shear strength had tipped the scales in his favour. 

 

Keith couldn’t say how long the fight had lasted, only that he had been pushed to the brink as Lotor landed hit after hit, biting and clawing relentlessly until Keith was positive he was going to be killed. 

 

He recalled Shiro’s face; the horror that had been plastered there, before he himself was Changing; black fur run through with white and standing on three legs.

 

The last thing Keith could remember was Shiro jumping between them, lowering himself to the ground in front of Lotor in a show of submission. 

 

_ Shiro...why? _

 

Submitting to Lotor meant accepting him as their alpha, and though the laws dictated that Lotor should kill Keith in order to gain full authority over his ‘pack’, with Shiro as the only other member, Keith’s death had been deemed useless.

 

Worthless.

 

Not worth the effort of taking.

 

Which, really, he should be grateful for, but now Lotor was their official alpha, and Keith and Shiro were no better off. 

 

_ All thanks to me. _

 

_ Great. _

 

Keith remained on the floor of the warehouse as he willed his headache away, suffocating in shame and willing himself to merge with the floorboards, but after an hour of no results, he finally stood. 

 

_ I need to call Shiro. Find out if he’s ok. _

 

The note meant he was alive at least, and the jest at the end meant he hadn’t been beat up by Lotor’s lackeys, but that didn’t stop Keith from blaming himself for what had transpired.

 

_ We were so close. _

 

_ And I wrecked it all! _

 

With a final huff, Keith exited the building, wincing at the sudden bright light and catching a glimpse of himself in the reflection of one of the windows.

 

_ At least my face is good. Nothing better than trying to blame a Were attack on a stray cat.  _

 

Without a phone and no real idea as to where he was, Keith wandered aimlessly down a gravel road, hopefully heading into town, and let his guilt flow freely throughout him as he winced at every step. 

 

_ Shiro, I’m so sorry. This is all my fault… _

 

He needed to contact his brother. Try and work a way around this. Lotor wasn’t Zarkon...there  _ had _ to be something good about that, right?

 

_ Ugh, like I deserve that sort of reprieve.  _

 

So absorbed in self-pity was he that Keith hardly noticed the area he had wandered into. It was a street he was unfamiliar with, littered with small shops and the early morning bustle of people heading to work. 

 

_ I wonder what time it is. _

 

And then a smell so wondrous drifted towards Keith he nearly gave himself whiplash as his head snapped around to see where it was coming from. 

 

A café, nestled between two tall buildings and looking, in all aspects of the word,  _ cozy _ , caught his attention. 

 

_ They might have a phone I can borrow to call Shiro. _

 

And even though his headache was not hangover related, nothing sounded better to Keith just then than a cup of coffee.

 

_ Yeah, just a cup of coffee. _

 

_ What could go wrong with that? _


	2. Death by Coffee. Or Something Like That

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the chapter where I take the reigns. Vulpes done an amazingly incredible first chapter, but this IS Fic Wars, so now it's my turn.
> 
> This where the coffe shop au comes into play. Say a brief goodbye to the werewolfs, and say hello to the sweet smell of coffee. Let's see what Lance gets himself into shall we? Lance isn't expecting much. Just a normal, boring day. 
> 
> But who knows? 
> 
> There's no telling who will walk through those cafe doors...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! watsonthebox here! This is my chapter/my au coming into play. That was a good start Vulpes. I enjoyed it! But now it's my turn. Let the Fic Wars begin.

Lance was running out of napkins. He already had accustomed a small mountain of crumpled up napkins stacked on the counter in front of him, his messy scrawl scratched through and small doodles of lattes and pumpkins scattered across them.

Lance needed this to be perfect. He needed all his focus on concentration on this. It was going to be his legacy.

His brow was furrowed and his tongue was slightly poking out of the side of his mouth, running a hand through his shaggy coffee-brown hair. He was so lost in his concentration and focused on the task before him that he didn't notice a small figure walk behind him.

 

"What the fuck are you doing?"

 

Lance jumped and squealed (which he would deny to the grave), whirling around and causing the balled up napkins to scatter across the counter and floor.

 

" _Jesus_!" Lance gripped the edge of the counter while he tried to coax his heart out of his stomach and back into his chest.

"You need to wear a bell or something! Make some noise next time, will ya!"

Pidge rolled their eyes, not the least bit apologetic. "You just need to pay more attention. What if I were a robber? You would've been dead, and I would've stolen all the coffee beans and pastries. Now answer the question: what are you doing?"

"If you must know, you nosy little gremlin, I'm writing my will."

Pidge gave him a deadpan look, mockingly cleaning their ears. "I'm sorry, what? You're writing your will?"

Pidge reached down and picked up one of the wadded up napkins on the floor, peering at the messily written sentences.

 

"And it's written in...blue crayon?"

 

Lance scoffed and swiped the paper out of Pidge's hands, cradling it to his chest and giving it a fond, proud look.

 

"Yes, my will! And a blue crayon is just like a pen! It's just more creative."

"Try childish instead." Pidge muttered. "I'm going to regret asking this, but why are you writing your will when you're supposed to be working?"

"Work? What do you mean work?" Lance gave them an aspirated and gestured wildly to entrance of the cafe, arms flailing madly. "There is no work! It's dead here, and I'm not too far behind! This place is gonna be the death of me!"

 

And the Full Moon Roast was dead, spare for a few elders in the back corner tables, idly sipping their plain, boring black coffee and reading a newspaper that was probably older than Lance was.

The usual hustle and bustle of college students and fedora-with-a-scarf-on-no-matter-what-time-of-year-it-was-and-some-kind-of-round-glasses-that-Lance-would-bet-were-not-prescription-glasses wearing customers had already come through, attending to them lives.

It was October, so the rush and panic of midterms were approaching and frantic College students with glossed-over eyes and caffeine fueled zombies with dazed expressions and movements could be seen around town, often balancing a stack of books and a plethora of notes as they scurried to class. All of them arrived bright and early, awaiting their daily intake of sugary caffeine.

And Lance lived for it. He always loved being able to make his customers crack a smile or laugh at one of his jokes or pick-up lines, to see their eyes get that tiny flicker of light and come to life, to see their smiles spread across their cold-bit cheeks as the took that first sip of his coffee, or that first bite of one of Hunk's magically famous pastries. It was one of the things that drew Lance here in the first place.

Well, that and he was poor and really didn't want to survive off of ramen for the rest of his life and have to ask his parents to help pay his rent before the deadline. Again. He honestly loved working here. Now it was going to be the death of him.

 

"Pidgeon-"

"Don't call me that."

"Pidgeotto-"

"That's not better."

"Pudge-"

"Lance!"

" _Pidge!_ Do you see that old man over there, in the corner booth? I swear to God, I'm not sure if he's asleep or if he taking an eternal catnap if you know what I mean. I'm pretty sure I seem a fly go into his mouth. I'm about to start throwing coffee beans at him to see if he wakes up."

Pidge rolled their eyes so far into the back of their skull, Lance was afraid that they may have pulled a muscle. It wouldn't surprise him if they did. Pidge rolled their eyes at least 40 times a day.

Most were directed at him. Lance took that as quite the accomplishment. He almost ordered a plaque to hang on the cafe's wall. 

Almost.

 

"Stop being dramatic and wasting so many napkins. We just ordered them, and Coran will get mad if we run out."

 

Now it was Lance's turn to roll his eyes.

 

"Oh please! You know I'm Coran's favorite! He could never be mad at me!"

"Um, no. That's a lie. Hunk is definitely the favorite. He's all our favorite."

"Okay, yeah that's true. No one can beat that ray of sunshine. But Coran is like our weird uncle. We're basically family!"

 

Coran (the gorgeous man) was the slightly...off owner of the Full Moon Roast.

His bushy mustache and orange hair was that of legends, and he opened this cafe what seemed like 10,000 years ago.

The Full Moon Cafe hadn't changed much since then. The entrance of the restaurant was dimly lit with a few fairy light hanging along the ceiling, accompanied by a few candles on each table.

The walls were made up of something that resembled cobblestone with a few wooden shelves that had various mythical books, some written in strange languages that Lance never seen before. It looked like in came straight from outer space in Lance's opinion.

There were a couple of plants in the restaurant to liven up the place, with each table have a few bundles of wolfsbane in a small, glass vase. Lance thought that was a nice added touch.

There were pictures scattered across the cafe, mostly of the moon and its phases; some of them were pictures of coffee and coffee beans, Lance's favorite being a cartoonish werewolf drinking a small cappuccino.

There was a large case that displayed all of Hunk's masterpieces, lit up brightly to show off their beauty. Lance still makes himself sick at least twice a month from sneaking too much food. He never once regretted it.

Lance's counter was fairly empty, save for the register and the few bar stools that would squeak every time you sat down on them.

The shop had an almost spooky, eerie atmosphere to it, but it was also warm and inviting, thanks to the staff, mostly Coran.

Coran was a pretty laid back boss, which Lance thanked his rare lucky stars for. He wasn't quick to anger, and he helped the gang out from time to time with their work (although Hunk won't let him back in the kitchen; he once tried to bake a cake, and it turned out to be this weird green goo. Coran claimed it was delicious, but Lance declared he wouldn't dare eat it, even if he were stranded in outer space).

He really was like their weird uncle.

 

And he just got even more weird during the fall, especially October.

 

October meant Halloween, and business often picked up during that month. This brought on a new list of rules for Lance and his friends to follow.

Coran had requested that Hunk bake Halloween themed pastries and desserts, such as spider macaroons and 'blood' filled cupcakes.

He made Pidge add a few color-changing lights and play Halloween songs over the cafe's sound system, which created a bit of a hassle in the beginning because Lance would shriek along with The Monster Mash and dance around the cafe.

And much to Lance's pleasure, and Pidge's disdain, Coran added wolf ears and a tail to the staff uniform during the whole entire month of October.

The customers often got a kick out of the costume, and Lance loved to play up the part. He would take photos with some of the customers (the cafe was trending on Twitter; Lance considered this one of the highest achievements in his entire life), entertain the few kids that wondered into the shops with their parents, and even throw in a howl for good measure.

This was Full Moon Roast, after all. He had to live up to the name.

 

So yeah, Coran was a little koo-koo and off his rocker, but the man knew how to run the business.

 

He kept Pidge with all the technology, such as the lights, the music, and tweaking the registers.

He kept Hunk in the kitchens, because come on, Hunk was a god with flour, eggs, and sugar. Lance swears he has some sort of blessed touches or superpower. Probably both.

And Coran kept Lance at the front, taking orders and greeting the guests, letting Lance's charismatic charm take over and set a welcoming and warm atmosphere to the cafe. They had become a well-oiled machine, a team. A family even.

So for Coran to ever get mad at any of them? Lance could laugh at the mere thought of that.

 

"Coran would could never get too mad at us! He loves us too much!"

Pidge raised an eyebrow and peered at him over their glasses.

"Are you forgetting about that one time you tried to make coffee art, and your leaf ended up looking more like a peni-"

"Okay, but that's in the past! It just looked so easy! I watched like a thousand about it; it could've worked! And Coran wasn't that mad; he just banned me from doing coffee art. Ever. Coran would never get rid of me!"

 

Pidge nodded their head and gave Lance a serious look.

 

"That's true. If he hasn't fired you yet for all the shit you've done, there's absolutely no way that he'll ever fire me and Hunk. He may even give up a promotion. But not you, of course."

"Hey!"

"I'm going back to work."

 

Pidge started to walk toward the back of the shop, pushing their classes to the brim of their nose, and giving Lance a small, nonchalant wave as they headed toward the surveillance room in the back of the cafe.

 

"Like YOU should be doing." They tossed over their shoulder.

"I AM working!"

Lance was answered with howling laughter.

"That's it!" Lance shouted at their receding figure, shaking his 'will' at them.

"I was going to give you my rare, exclusive collection of Beyoncé cds, but now they're Hunk's! You can kiss them goodbye!"

 

Lance chuckled and shook his head as he heard Hunk let out an excited "Aww yeah!" and started humming a tune that sounded awfully familiar to Drunk in Love.

Lance picked up the blue crayon covered napkins and threw them away, giving up the distraction and idly twirled the crayon between his fingers.

Lance let out a long sigh and sat on one of the bar stools, propping his elbows on the table, and cupping his face with his hand as he watched the breeze push the leaves outside the cafe windows, wishing he could go outside the feel the leaves crunch underneath his feet.

Maybe he could even sneak a slice of Hunk's pumpkin spice Swiss roll. He just needed something to do.

 

_Looks like this is going to be another boring shift. Just my luck. Great._

 

Just as Lance had accepted his fate of death by boredom as only a few (and possibly dead) old people to witness and morn his abrupt demise, the front door bell rang, sharply cutting through the silence and Lance's self pity party. Lance immediately perked up, and gave his signature smile and greeted the newcomer.

 

"Welcome to Full Moon Roast, where our coffee is to _howl_ for!"

He ended with a wink and finger guns (a Lance classic).

 

Lance almost chuckled when the figure jumped at his voice, as if they just realized they were in a coffee shop.

Now that Lance could really see them, they looked a little...disoriented. Like he just woke up and he didn't really know where the hell he was.

 

But hot damn, was this boy attractive.

 

He was wearing a red hoodie, and had black, wind-tousled hair that fell over their face, as if it were framing it. And Lance wouldn't mind being apart of that picture.

And _holy shit those eyes_. Lance could hardly describe them. They were like a purple, indigo color, something he had never seen before. And they were fucking gorgeous. _He_ was fucking gorgeous.

 

Lance thanked the bi gods above and smirked at the boy.

 

_Time to turn up the Lancey Lance charm._

_Maybe today won't be so boring after all..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, my tall Vulpes! It's back to you! I wish you the best of luck!


	3. Keith hates Halloween?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cup of coffee? Ordered.  
> Phone call? Placed.
> 
> Now all Keith has to do is wait for Shiro to come get him.
> 
> That and flirt a little with the cute server boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back at it again with the werewolves! 
> 
> I'm yanking this away from the coffee shop au and tossing it back into Were town baby!
> 
> Or, trying to anyways. Easier said than done.

 

_What in the ever-living shit…?_

 

Keith blinked as he entered the dimly lit café, having not expected it to be so dark. His Were eyes allowed for a quick adjustment period, but once accustomed to the odd twinkling lights and... _candles? This early in the morning?_ Keith wasn’t sure being able to see clearly was much of an improvement.

 

 _Oh you’ve_ got _to be kidding me,_ Keith thought with a groan as his eyes wandered the small space. Had the smell of baked goods not been so enticing, Keith was sure he would have bolted by now.

 

Or hobbled, since his side wouldn’t allow for anything more strenuous than that, but the point remained.

 

This... _shop-_ this-this _holy grail_ of halloween tomfoolery, was such an assault on the senses that Keith had to mentally remind himself that he hadn’t walked into a Walmart in mid August, where the decor for the next biggest holiday was being forcefully shoved down his throat.

 

It was like being in the living embodiment of an upper-middle class suburban mom’s wet dream, complete with homemade decorations, string fairy lights of varying colours, and pastries straight out of a Pintrest DIY page.  

 

_God help me._

 

To make matters worse, aside from the horrid attempt at transforming the place into a Value Village costume aisle, the underlying theme to the entire shop appeared to be wolf related.

 

And not the happy-go-lucky dogs seen wandering the wilds on National Geographic specials...no. The various moon decor made sure to get the message across: that this place catered to Werewolves.

 

Or _wanted_ to anyways.

 

_Phases of the moon...tacky._

 

_And wolf-themed drinks? That’s just bad business._

 

_But then again...maybe it’s not?_

 

Ever since Zarkon’s massive pack had basically taken control of the city, many operations had tried to stay off his radar to prevent becoming the next target, but Keith had been under the assumption that that was only because those business owners thought Zarkon’s group was more mafia related than anything.

 

Besides their own, no one else really knew about the existence of Were’s, which was why Keith was having second guesses about this place having any underlying meaning to the theme.

 

It was just a coincidence or something; someone’s idea of fun time, however risky the endeavour.

 

_Ha! If only they knew the truth._

 

Still, an unsettling chill crept along Keith’s spine as he made his way further into the café, where he did his best to tune out the god-awful Halloween music in favour of searching for a phone to use.

 

And that’s when he saw it.

 

Ok, sure, the lights and the posters and the pumpkins and even the ‘scary’ music were one thing. Tacky, yes, but tolerable.

 

The blatant disrespect for Were culture and the stereotypes that go along with his kind also fell under that category, since Keith couldn’t outwardly blame the shop owners for not knowing of his existence.

 

The wolf costumes, on the other hand, was where Keith drew the line.

 

_Oh you’ve gotta be fucking with me._

 

There, standing pretty behind the till of the coffee shop, was a boy. Or, well, calling him a boy was probably something of an understatement, seeing as he was closer to Keith’s age upon further inspection.

 

_Which only makes this worse!_

 

Brown skin matched equally brown hair, and icy blue eyes, like the crisp autumn sky just outside, were watching him curiously.

 

By all accounts the guy was cute, and on any other day Keith would have allowed himself the luxury of a few well-placed flirts. But his morning was already a hell-hole of bad news, and seeing this would-be plaything sporting a pair of faux wolf ears and fake tail was too much for Keith to handle.

 

_This is officially the worst day of my life._

 

_Coffee is not worth it. Sorry Shiro, you’ll have to wait a bit longer._

 

But before Keith could duck out of the shop and away from the humiliating rendition of the wolf outfit the staff in the place seemed to all be wearing, a voice called out from behind him, rooting him in place.

 

“Hey! Can I get you something?”

 

Several answers went through Keith’s mind all at once, including:

 

_A ticket out of this city and away from Lotor and his goonies perhaps?_

 

_A phone to let my brother know I’m still alive?_

 

_Maybe a place to sit that doesn’t look like the haphazard collection of a Halloween hoarder?_

 

But of these, Keith decided on the most prominent thought, and surprised himself as he spoke the words out loud.

 

“Who forced you to dress up in that?”

 

_Really Keith? That’s what you’re going with?_

 

The boy seemed to be having similar thoughts, and glanced down at the tail strapped to his waist as his hands went up to feel the ears attached to a headpiece.

 

Blue eyes settled on Keith once again, and shoulders lifted in a shrug.

 

“My boss.”

 

“Jesus, you poor thing,” Keith lamented as he approached the counter once more. As much as he wanted to flee, his stomach was begging him for _something_ , and the pain in his head had resided somewhat ever since smelling the strong aroma of coffee beans and cinnamon.

 

_I can ignore the costume if it means getting food._

 

Instead of a chuckle in agreement, as Keith had been anticipating in response to his comment, the boy huffed in apparent offense, and folded his arms neatly across his chest.

 

“I happen to quite _like_ them, thank you very much,” he retorted, and Keith mentally made a pro and con list of all the reasons he should stay in this pit of mockery. The cons far outweighed the pros, but food and drink held a higher sway, so Keith remained where he was.

 

_He may be cute, but no way in hell would I ever waste a flirt on this guy._

 

_Fucking furry ass-_

 

And then something was being plopped down on his head, and Keith blinked in surprise as the boy leaned back, his wolf ears gone, and Keith released in horror what was now flattening his hair.

 

 _Oh he did_ not _just put those things on me-_

 

“I think they suit you,” the boy interrupted Keith’s thoughts, head tilted adorably to the side as blue eyes narrowed to better analyse the new addition. “Yep. Way cuter now.”

 

Keith nearly choked as saliva was swallowed down the wrong tube, and he could feel his cheeks begin to heat as he hastily shoved the ears off his head.

 

_Ok...that was...um. Yeah. Hmm._

 

He tossed the headpiece back on the counter, and noticed with an internal sigh of relief that the boy didn’t re-donn them.

 

_Thank god._

 

Except, now Keith didn’t have an excuse not to openly stare. The ears, however terrible to look at, had acted as a sort of defense mechanism that warded off what he would typically find attractive.

 

And without them on...wow. Keith had to force his eyes to the ground to get ahold of himself.

 

_Ah dammit. He’s fucking cute as hell._

 

_Just...order your coffee and ask if he has a phone you can use._

 

“So Mr. Grumpy Pants, what can I getcha?”

 

_Grumpy pants? I’m not-_

 

_Well ok maybe a little._

 

“Um, something hot and full of caffeine would be great,” Keith managed to answer, and the boy winked mischievously.

 

“Sorry Big Bad Wolf, I’m off the menu.”

 

Keith couldn’t even begin to wonder if his cover had somehow been blown with the wolf comment the lanky server had made. He was too preoccupied with keeping his face a mask of calm as it threatened to burn a hole through through the hood of his sweater.

 

_This dude is MEGA FLIRTING with me!_

 

_And I...I kinda like it._

 

_FUCK._

 

Keith didn’t have time for shameless exchanges such as these however. He had some good ones of his own to throw back as well, but the whole situation with Lotor and Shiro and the massive amount of pain his body was still in was really putting a dampener on the whole ‘flirting’ thing.

 

Besides, who was to say this server, who wore the nametag ‘Lance’, didn’t always talk to his customers this way.

 

_Maybe I walked into one of those weird maid cafés._

 

Which Keith would otherwise take full advantage of, were his thoughts not so scattered.

 

_I don’t have time for this!_

 

“Just-” Keith huffed out an irritated breath, “just gimme a coffee please? And a phone possibly?”

 

Lance raised an eyebrow at him as he tapped in his order.

 

“You want me to call you?”

 

“What? No-just…” Keith groaned as his head throbbed in retaliation to the effort of forming sentences, and he pinched the bridge of his nose between two fingers to ward off the ache. “I need to get ahold of someone. Please.”

 

Lance was grinning, but did as he was asked, _thank god._ He handed over a grossly bedazzled iphone and unlocked the screen for Keith to use.

 

“Here ya go,” he sang, turning to begin making Keith’s drink. He glanced over his shoulder as Keith picked up the cell, and shot another wink in his direction. “Feel free to leave a number.”

 

_Pfft, no._

 

_I mean….maybe?_

 

_NO._

 

_I don’t deserve the luxury of a potential date. I deserve the cold embrace of death._

 

Keith shook his head as he tried to maneuver the screen of the phone Lance had given him to use.

 

_Where’s the dialpad?_

 

Lance must have noticed his struggles, because it wasn’t long after that slender brown fingers were curling around the phone and taking it back from Keith.

 

“Don’t have an iphone I take it?” he asked, and Keith willed the redness out of his face.

 

“Samsung.”

 

Lance made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat.

 

“Gross. Samsung’s are trash.”

 

“You’re trash,” Keith mumbled back, too tired to defend his prefered brand. Lance’s lips tilted up at the comment, which was a good thing, seeing as it hadn’t been much of a compliment.

 

_At least he’s not easily offended._

 

“What’s the number there Moody McBroodster?” Lance said, and Keith gave it to him, ignoring the terrible nickname. Lance handed him back the phone after that, which Keith took gratefully.

 

“Try not to get too much emo essence on the screen!” Lance called after him as Keith turned away from the till. He held up a single finger in reply.

 

Shiro picked up on the second ring.

 

“ _Hello?_ ”

 

_He doesn’t sound all that panicked. Good thing? Or has he surpassed the level of worry I’m used to and ascended into a plane of absolute calm?_

 

_Only one way to find out._

 

“Shiro, it’s me.”

 

There was a pause, then:

 

_“I don’t know many Me’s. Is that a family name or…?”_

 

“Shiro c’mon, I’m not in the mood for jokes. And yours aren’t even good ones.”

 

 _“I beg to differ,”_ Shiro went on, and Keith wasn’t sure if he was genuinely uncaring about what had transpired the night previous, or if it was all an act for Keith’s sake. Whatever the case, Keith found himself relaxing as Shiro’s steady voice washed over him. _“My jokes are prime in the morning. You used to laugh at them all the time.”_

 

“Yeah, when I was six and didn’t know any better.”

 

_“Still counts.”_

 

Keith felt the corners of his lips tug upwards, and blessed his lucky stars that Shiro was still alive and in his life. He wasn’t sure what he would do if something were to happen to him

 

_Something like become apart of Lotor’s new pack._

 

“Listen, Shiro,” Keith rubbed his eyes as he spoke, warding off tears as he thought about how scared his brother had looked as Keith was pummeled within an inch of his life. “I’m so sorry-”

 

 _“Nope, don’t wanna hear it.”_ Shiro interrupted, cutting Keith’s apology off short.

 

“But-”

 

 _“Nope. I already know. And Keith, it wasn’t your fault. Lotor is a shady bastard, you had no idea what his intentions were. No one does. If anything, I should be apologizing to_ you _for not seeing through his plans in the first place.”_

 

Keith huffed out a small laugh, then winced as the pain in his side scolded him for the movement.

 

“Now you’re just being ridiculous,” he mumbled into the phone, but there was no denying the relief that was slowly spreading around his mind.

 

_Shiro isn’t blaming me…._

 

Not that he would have in the first place, but Keith was always fearful that one of these days he would end up doing something that his adoptive brother wouldn’t be able to make excuses for.

 

He hoped that day was a long way off.

 

_“How are you, by the way? I tried to bandage as much as I could of your side, but nothing was really sticking. All the fur.”_

 

“Um, yeah no. Side has definitely felt better. Head as well. Just, general body area as a whole,” Keith made a hand motion towards himself, despite knowing Shiro couldn’t see him.

 

 _“Yeah, you really got the juice kicked out of you,”_ Shiro went on, and Keith could detect the underlying tones of worry in his voice. _“I’m just glad you’re alive.”_

 

_Same._

 

_Sort of._

 

“I wouldn’t be if it hadn’t been for you,” Keith’s voice trailed off, and he heard Shiro take a breath on the other end as he waited for him to go on. “You should have let me die Shiro. You would have been free to go.”

 

 _“No, I wouldn’t have,”_ Shiro fired back, and Keith blinked at the sudden ferocity in his tone. _“Had Lotor killed you, then he would have made himself my alpha. There was no happy-ending to that scenario. So I chose the one where you were at least with me.”_ There was another pause, and then, in a voice so small Keith had to strain to hear it: _“It was a coward move on my part. I was scared of losing you...of-of being alone. I didn’t even stop to think if maybe you would have prefered death over joining Lotor’s pack…”_

 

Keith, despite the darkness in the words Shiro had just spewed, actually laughed. He could feel the stares of several other patrons at the sudden noise, and turned away so he was facing out the windows near the front.

 

“Shiro, I may have a rather _morbid_ sense of humour, but in no way would I choose death over life. Especially if you’re still alive.”

 

There was a small chuckle on the other end of the phone.

 

_“Yeah, I guess…”_

 

“Look,” Keith glanced down the street, still not recognizing his whereabouts, and trying to spot an address of some sort he could direct Shiro with. “How about you meet me at the-” he glanced around the shop, figuring out the name of the café and cringing internally as he read it out loud, “-Full Moon Roast, and we can talk some more then. Figure out a game plan. Enjoy a cup of coffee.”

 

_“‘Full Moon Roast’? Where the hell are you?!”_

 

_You’re asking me?!_

 

“Uh...dude I have no idea. I kinda woke up in a warehouse with no clothes and a bruise the size of a small child plastered to my side. I’m lost.”

 

He heard Shiro hum on the other end, the the sound of keys being pressed as he inevitably typed in ‘Full Moon Roast’ into Google. There was an intake of breath, and then Shiro’s surprised voice was ringing through the phone.

 

_“Keith! You’re like, across the river!”_

 

“Okay…? So? That’s where we met up last night.”

 

_“Yeah but, the warehouse I took you to was still within the city park. You’re in a small bordering subdivision, from the looks of it.”_

 

Keith’s heart leapt into his throat. The rules of the pack stated that no member was allowed outside the territory established by the alpha, and beyond the park was _definitely_ not on Zarkon’s list.

 

Keith wasn’t sure what Lotor had been up to since nearly killing him the night before, but if he was discovered outside the limits of their region, then-

 

 _“Keith calm down. I can hear you panicking from here,”_ Shiro’s voice cut through the growing haze in Keith’s mind. _“You’re still within the city, it’s just some small section on the other side of the park we haven’t been to. You must have walked down the wrong path or something.”_

 

“So I’m safe?” he asked, and Shiro chuckled on the other end.

 

 _“Safe, yes, depending on your definition of the word. You_ are _a Were afterall. Nothing is ever really safe.”_

 

Keith exhaled slowly through his nose, feeling the remaining energy drain out of him.

 

_I really need that coffee._

 

“Ok, well, meet me here when you can. I don’t have my phone so I can’t get ahold of you as frequently.”

 

_“Alright, I’ll be a few. It’s quite a long drive.”_

 

Keith groaned, eyes wandering over the tacky Halloween display inside the shop.

 

“Just, hurry. This place is making my headache worse.”

 

_“In what way?”_

 

“Oh, you’ll see,” Keith promised, then hung up before Shiro could ask further questions. As nice as it was to speak with his brother, Keith was in dire need of some caffeine, and he walked back over to the till where Lance was busy doodling on a pile of napkins.

 

“Thanks,” Keith said, handing the phone back to its owner. Lance took it with a smile, placing it in his back pocket and reaching behind himself to grab a tall cup of steaming liquid. He slid it across the counter towards Keith, who stared down at the drink in confusion.

 

“What’s this?”

 

“Your order, duh,” Lance retorted, rolling his eyes in the process.

 

“I asked for coffee,” Keith explained. The drink currently in front of him was frothy and sweet-smelling, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it was for sure not what he had been expecting.

 

Lance shrugged.

 

“Yeah, but you didn’t specify in what form, so I took the liberty of whipping up one of my specialty lattes.”

 

Keith frowned down at the drink, twisting it around to better inspect the design that had been created in the foam.

 

“Why’d you draw a dick in it?”

 

Lance spluttered, leaning over the counter to put his head directly over Keith’s beverage, before pointing a finger down at the swirls he had so meticulously carved.

 

“It’s clearly a leaf!” He exclaimed, folding his arms over his chest and jutting out his lower lip in a spectacular pout.

 

“Hmm,” Keith said, eyeing the well-defined shapes that made up the picture within his drink. “Well, I don’t know what kind of leaves you’ve been staring at lately, but this is one hundred percent a penis.”

 

“You’re one hundred percent a penis,” Lance spat back, using the same form of comeback Keith had previously. Except Lance’s cheeks flushed bright red as he realized what he had said, and Keith let a smirk grow on his lips as he picked up the cup.

 

“Only on some days,” and then, because his mood was growing lighter by the minute, he winked. “Usually it’s around sixty-nine percent.”

 

And yes, Lance was now speechless, which Keith took as a victory.

 

_See pretty boy? Two can play at that game._

 

Keith took his drink and moved to sit at one of the tables near the front windows, when he spotted something purple and overwhelmingly strong smelling sitting in a glass in the center.

 

Wolfsbane.

 

_Seriously!?!_

 

The dreaded plant was playing the role of centerpiece on all the tables within the shop, and Keith groaned as he turned back towards the till, where Lance was watching him with narrowed eyes.

 

_You guys seriously can’t have a café with all this werewolf regalia and then put fucking wolfsbane at every table._

 

_Clearly this place has no idea that Weres exist._

 

“Is there a problem Mullet Man?” Lance quipped from behind the counter, and Keith gestured to the plant.

 

“Do you have a table that _doesn’t_ have that _thing_ on it?”

 

Lance glanced over at the flower, then back at Keith with raised eyebrows.

 

“Why? You allergic?”

 

_You have no idea._

 

“You could say that,” he said instead, and Lance nodded slowly before coming around the edge of the till, moving over to the table Keith had been eyeing up and taking the plant away.

 

He stopped in front of Keith on the way back, and bowed slightly.

 

“Anything else for his majesty?” he mocked, but Keith didn’t let the jest get to him.

 

“Why do you keep calling me such outlandish names?” he asked, and Lance shrugged.

 

“It’s not like you’re wearing a nametag dude. And you didn’t exactly introduce yourself.”

 

Keith felt his ears begin to burn as he realized how rude he had been. Not that he typically gave his name to coffee shop employees, unless they asked, but he figured since Lance had leant him his phone to use, the least he could do was offer a handshake in thanks.

 

“Oh, right,” he held out a hand, which Lance eyed skeptically before taking. “I’m Keith.”

 

Lance’s grip tightened, and he pulled Keith inwards slightly as his voice lowered to a husky exhale of breath.

 

“ _Pleasure_ to meet you,” he drawled, and Keith gulped as his throat constricted.

 

_I can’t let him one up me like that!_

 

Keith pulled back, tugging Lance in closer than before and noticing with a victorious smirk that Lance’s cheeks were practically glowing in the dim lighting of the café.

 

“Oh, the pleasures all mine,” Keith whispered back, ignoring the sound of a bell being rung from the front of the shop. Lance’s eyes were darting back and forth over Keith’s face; his brows high on his forehead as fingers toyed teasingly between his own.

 

Who knows where things would have gone had a painfully familiar voice not interrupted things.

 

“Oh my, what do we have here?”

 

Keith jumped back, releasing his grip on Lance’s hand and nearly spilling his coffee all over himself as his eyes took in the foreboding figures of Lotor and his lackeys.

 

His tongue refused to formulate words as the pain in his head, side and ankle flared up at the sight of the inflictor.

 

_Fuck, what’s he doing here!?_

 

But all Keith could do was glare as Lotor made his way over to him, eyeing Lance with an almost _hungry_ look in his eyes, which, knowing Lotor, could mean one of two things.

 

Neither were good.

 

Keith stepped in front of Lance, hoping to ward off any potential ideas that may be formulating in Lotor’s twisted mind as dark golden eyes zeroed in on him instead.

 

_This is your alpha now. You have to show the proper respect._

 

With that in mind, Keith slowly bobbed his head in greeting, keeping his mouth a tight line as Lotor’s own grin spread out across his face.

 

“Keith, this is such a _wonderful_ surprise! I thought I sensed your presence in the area. Won’t you join me for a drink as we _discuss_ some things?”

 

_Like I have a choice…_

 

But Keith could only nod as Lotor took him by the arm, gently, seeing as they were in public, but not without an unpleasant squeezing that had Keith wincing as he was guided to the table Lance had cleared of the wolfsbane.

 

_Fuck. I shouldn’t have asked him to move it._

 

_Me and my stupid mouth._

 

Lotor took the seat across from him, with his lackeys moving to sit at a table nearby, hissing slightly at the sight of the purple flower adorning the spot.

 

 _At least their stay won’t be that pleasant,_ Keith thought with a spark of defiance. He couldn’t disobey Lotor, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t find humour in his pack-mates discomfort.

 

Suddenly the Full Moon Roast didn’t seem like that bad a place to hang out.

 

“Right, well,” Lotor’s voice, slick with false pleasantry and sending chills down Keith’s arms. He leaned across the table, white hair falling down over his shoulders as gloved hands came to rest on the surface between them.

 

“Let’s have a chat, shall we?”

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boom, shacklacka boom boom boom!
> 
> [@watsonthebox](https://www.watsonthebox@tumblr.com) it's your turn!
> 
> Have fun making Lotor fit into your coffee shop au! Mwwwahahahaa!!!


	4. They Did The Monster Mash?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance noticed that Keith was a little...uptight. Surely there must be something he can do to fix that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now it's my turn again. Lotor in a coffee shop? Never though I would write about this. Oh well, hope you enjoy it!

Lance was honestly just really fucking confused.

First, this disoriented looking guy-Keith as he discovered- came wondering into the café, looking as confused as he was good-looking.

Then Mr. My Chemical Romance was rude as fuck, even going as far as insulting Lance's uniform! Well, technically his wolf ears and tail, but still! Lance knew he looked down right adorable (and so did Keith. Lance could still see the confused-turned-disgusted look on his face when he realized that Lance put the ears on top of his bushy black hair. _And damn it he looked cute too._  Maybe even a bit sexy. They just suit him for some odd reason).

Then he didn't respond to any of Lance's flirts, which, mind you, Lance could kinda understand. The teen looked like he had just clawed his way out of his own grave right before he stumbled into Full Moon Roast. Lance was able to get a little rise out of Keith with some of his flirtations, taking deep pleasure in seeing the blushes spread across face, starting at the tip of his nose and spreading to the very tip of his ears.

Lance took pride in the fact that he could catch Keith off guard, especially with the phone incident. Lance was still pretty revolted that Keith preferred Android over iPhone. He almost lost all hope right there. Lance be attracted to someone who had an android? _Willingly had an android?_

Still, Lance couldn't stop staring at the boy from behind the many funky coffee machines, smiling softly when he saw Keith visibly relax while he was talking to..whoever he was talking to on the phone.

And when he laughed, Lance gripped the coffee cup he had in his hand, nearly swooning on the spot.

Holy shit he _needed_ to hear that sound again.

Hopefully he could draw one out of Keith himself. But Lance could tell he was still kinda tense, so Lance got the perfect idea. Coffee art makes everyone happy, right?

So Lance spent a few (many) minutes (attempting) to draw an elegant leaf to lightly float on the top of the coffee.

When Lance saw that Keith had hung up, Lance made his way to him, smile wide and bright, setting his _masterpiece_ before him. And yeah, Lance realized that his leaf looked slightly wonky...and maybe a little phallic, but it most certainly didn't look like a dick, no matter what Keith (or Pidge) said!

But that's where Lance started to get confused.

Lance had called him a dick when he insulted his artistic coffee skills, and Keith actually _smiled_. And then _made a joke._ Was he flirting? Where had that come from?

And then the whole situation with the wolfsbane? What _was_ that?

Lance knew that they had a weird unique smell to them, but Lance never met anyone who was actually allergic to them. He even tossed the idea to remove the weird little flower as a centerpiece and choose some other creepy plant, like hemlock or something, but Coran had immediately refused.

He said that the Full Moon Roast " _wouldn't be complete without it"_ for some strange reason that was beyond Lance.

But hey, Coran was his boss. And he was a bit nutty, so Lance didn't question it too much.

Then when Lance moved the wolfsbane, that's when his confusion peaked.

After he flirtatiously pulled Keith in after finally learning his name, he was totally thrown completely off guard when Keith pulled him in even closer and _oh fuck he was too hot, Lance's bi heart couldn't take this. He was so close, he could see the different hues of purples and violets in Keith's eyes and he could feel his warm breath on his lips. All he had to do was lean in and tilt his head just so and then-_

 

And then some man with white, long hair just barged in with a couple of lackeys that gave Lance serious Draco Malloy from Harry Potter vibes. Keith had quickly pulled away from him and turned to face the three men, and Lance didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed.

So this is where he is now: very, very confused and wanting to get Keith alone and all to himself again.

Now he was just staring at Keith as he talked to the three stooges. Lance couldn't shake the feeling he got when the Draco wannabe looked at him like he was one of Hunk's pastries, like he was a fucking snack.

 

_But if Keith looked at me that way... Nope stop it._

Lance scolded himself, willing himself to stop staring at the back of Keith's head.

_I just met the guy. He could be a serial killer for all I know._

 

But Lance didn't really believe that. Hell, if he had to place any bets, he'd say the serial killer was Goldilocks and his gang. And if it were any indication of the tightness in his neck and shoulders, Keith thought so too.

Lance frowned, drawing his brows together in concern.

 

_Keith looks really on edge, like he's ready snap._

Lance then smirked as he formed a plan in his head.

_I can fix that._

 

Lance quickly leaned over the counter to see if there were anymore customers. When Lance made sure there (shockingly) wasn't, he eased his way back toward the kitchen, where he knew his best bud would be.

Lance pushed through the double doors and was immediately rewarded with the sight of Hunk slightly dancing while drawing realistic veins on his eyeball cake.

 

"Hunk! My main man! My bro! My sunshine child!"

Lance couldn't hold back his laugh when Hunk pretty much shrieked and squeezed the pipping bag too hard, making red icing go everywhere, covering the front of Hunk's moon-patterned apron.

 

"Lance! You nearly gave me a heart attack! More importantly, you almost made me ruin my cake!"

 

Lance shook his head when he finally got his laughing under control. He walked over to Hunk and threw an arm around his shoulders, wiping some icing off the counter with his finger, licking all of it off.

 

"Buddy, you really need to get your priorities straight."

Hunk scrunched his nose as he watched Lance lick the icing off his finger, getting a sanitizing wipe and handing it to Lance.

 

"That's gross, Lance. Why are you even back here anyways? Do you need something?"

 

Lance dramatically draped himself across the counter, bringing a hand to his forehead.

 

"Hunk, you wound me! Can I just visit my best friend without being accused of wanting something? Maybe I just wanted to see how you were doing, chat a little bit, maybe even help you out!"

 

Hunk gave him a blank stare, slightly arching his eyebrow.

 

_Well he saw right through that._

"Okay, okay. Yeah I need your help with something."

Lance picked himself off the counter and leaned closely toward Hunk, looking around to see if anyone might be eavesdropping. Hunk rolled his eyes at his antics.

 

_Someone's been hanging around Pidge too much. He's learning._

"I need you to sneak into Pidge's office and-"

"No."

"Wait, Hunk-"

"Nope."

"You didn't even let me-"

"There is no way I'm sneaking into their office! I want to live a long and happy life! You may have a death wish, but I sure don't!"

 

Lance clasped his hands together and fell to his knees, protruding out his bottom lip and giving Hunk his best puppy dog eyes.

 

"Please Hunk! Pidge is on their break right now, so they're not even here! I just need you to play a song for me! This is important!"

"A song? What song could possibly be so important that-"

 

Lance could practically see the lightbulb above Hunk's head.

 

"Oh no. Nope, there is no way that I'm going to play _that_ song. Pidge would kill the both us of!"

 

Lance jumped to his feet and leaned against the counter, swirling around the remaining red icing with his finger.

 

"If you do, I'm sure I could get mamá's tres leches cake recipe and give it to you."

Lance could only imagine the inner turmoil that Hunk must be going through. He watched as Hunk looked at him then at the doors then back at him. When Hunk let out a defeated sigh, Lance could've jumped from joy.

 

"Alright, but if Pidge asks, I'm putting all the blame on you. And if you die, you better write it down in your will that I get that recipe."

Lance gave him tight hug and quickly headed back to the front counter, throwing a quick, "You got it! Thanks Hunk! You're the best!" behind his shoulder.

 

_Don't you worry, Keith. Lancey Lance is here to save the day._

 

When Lance arrived back at his counter, he noticed that Keith was much more tense than when he left him. Lance couldn't hear what they were talking about, but he could see Keith's hands clenched into tight fists.

 

_Time to step in._

 

Lance put his wolf ears back on top of his head, fixing his hair, and straightening his uniform before making his way to Keith's and the other men's table. He cleared his throat and all eyes were on him.

 

"So sorry to interrupt your idle chitchat, but I noticed that you three gentlemen,"

Lance gestured to the empty spots on table in front of the three men.

"Haven't bought anything yet. It's apart of our policy that you buy at least one thing in order to stay in the café. It's just one of our policies."

Lance sent them an apologetic grin. That was a lie, but they didn't need to know that.

"It's so we don't have an loiterers here taking up our customers space. If you would like to purchase anything, you are more than welcome to stay."

 

Lance noticed that Keith was looking at him with wide eyes and almost panicked look, but Lance ignored him, and instead reached into his pockets to pull out his blue crayon and a small notepad.

 

"So, do any one of you see something you would like to have?"

 

Lance wished he would've reworded that a bit differently because the man with the white locks learned forward and gave him a smile that made Lance suppress the shivers it sent up his entire spine.

"Hmm..and how much would a slice of you cost?"

 

Lance saw Keith tense up again, but he just brushed it aside, pretending he didn't notice. Lance sent him an uneasy chuckle and gave him a wink.

"Sorry Queen Elsa. I'm a luxury few can afford."

 

The man's smirk just grew, but he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms.

"That's quite unfortunate to hear. I'm never told no, pup."

 

Lance couldn't help but roll his eyes, one that Pidge would be proud of.

"You can't always have your way. And I'm no pup. I'm the alpha here."

 

Lance heard the sharp intake of breath Keith took in, and Lance would've asked if he were okay, but the look the man gave him froze him in place. He looked...deadly.

 

"Is that so? Surely that wasn't a challenge."

Lance tried to be nonchalant and shrug his shoulders.

"Of course not. I'm just stating the obvious. I _am_ the one with the wolf ears and tail."

 

There was a few moments of tense silence before the man broke out into small, deep chuckles that honestly just really gave Lance the creeps.

 

"Alright, pup. I'll play your game. We'll be leaving here shortly, so ordering won't be necessary."

 

Lance gave a small sigh and shoved the crayon and notepad back into his pockets, walking back to the front counter.

"Alrighty. Whatever you say."

 

Lance tried to busy himself with mundane tasks, sweeping, wiping down the counter, and rearranging the cash in the register. He snuck a few glances at Keith, who was still pretty tense, but, to Lance's relief, seemed a little more relaxed.

All he needed now was for Hunk to play his song, and his plan would be complete.

While Lance drummed his fingers against one of that coffee machines, as if on cue, the familiar tune flooded through the café and Lance couldn't help the mischievous, wolffish grin spread across his face.

 

_It's go time_.

 

Lance strutted over to Keith's table once again, but this time grabbed one of Keith's hands and pulled him out of his seat, who let out small surprised shout.

 

"Sorry to interfere your conversation again gentlemen, but we also have another policy that states whenever this sings plays, we have to dance with one of our customers. It's supposed to encourage being active or something like that. And seeing that none of you except _this_ handsome man hasn't bought anything, I have to dance with him."

Lance sent them a bright smile.

"Surely you understand."

 

Without waiting for an answer, Lance pulled Keith and shimmied his way out of their view.

"Lance, what the _hell_ are you doing?!" Keith hissed, sending cautious looks over his shoulder, back toward the table that was now out of their sight.

"Just trust me, alright! And lighten up, mullet!"

"Mullet? I don't have a mullet!" Keith sputtered.

 

Lance just laughed and pulled Keith in closer, relishing in the warm from the other's body.

 

_Wow he's just as hot on the inside as his is the outside._

"So, what 'exciting' song are we supposed to be dancing to?"

Lance sent him a devilish smirk. "Oh just you wait."

 

__**I was working in the lab late one night. When my eyes beheld an eerie sight  
When my monster, from its slab, began to rise  
And suddenly to my surprise-**

 

  
"Oh my God. You've got to be fucking kidding me."

Lance cackled madly in response and rocked him and Keith back and forth, sing happily along with the lyrics. An idea popped into Lance's head.

"If you think that's something, just watch this."

 

Lance broke away from Keith and channeled his inner Shakira, sashaying toward the three gentlemen at Keith's table.

Lance then grabbed the white-haired Rapunzel's arms and made wide gestures with his arms along to the beat of the song, ranging from a half-assed attempt at Thriller to the classic Macarena.

 

**_Well, the zombies were having fun_  
The party had just begun  
The guests included the Wolfman  
Dracula, and his son**

**__  
The scene was rocking, all were digging the sound  
Igor on chains, backed by his baying hounds  
The Coffin Bangers were about to arrive  
With their vocal group, The Crypt Keeper Five**

 

Lance could only imagine the look on Keith's and the others' faces.

When satisfied with his work, he dropped the man's arms and shuffled back toward Keith, who had a mixture of a horrified and amused look on his face. Lance just sent him a wink and finger guns before taking him into his arms again and spinning them around the café, the lights blurring around them.

 

"You're fucking insane, you know that?"

Lance suddenly dipped Keith who let out a disgruntled noise at the unexpected movement. Lance leaned toward his face and gave him a flirtatious grin.

 

"You know you love it."

Keith rolled his eyes, but Lance could see the small tug at his lips.

 

_Success_

 

As the song continued, Lance eased them back toward the front of the restaurant, a weight lifting off his shoulders he didn't know he was carrying when he saw the Keith's table was now empty. Lance gave himself a mental pat on the back when he noticed the wide-eyed expression on Keith's face when he also realized that the trio had left.

Lance was opened his mouth to brag to Keith about his successful plan when a thunderous voice exploded through the Full Moon Roast.

 

"WHO THE FUCK IS PLAYING MONSTER MASH?!?"

 

Lance and Keith both jumped at the noise, and Lance immediately paled when he recognized who the voice belonged to.

 

"I'm so dead."

Keith looked at him, bewildered and concerned. "What? What do you mean? "What's wrong?"

Keith looked around for any signs of danger.

"Keith, you don't understand. I'm so glad that I wrote my will."

Lance took a deep breath and sent a short prayer.

"That my dear Keith, was Pidge. And this is how I die."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to you Vulpes! Can't wait to see what you do!   
> ***Disclaimer***  
> I do not own Monster Mash (obviously) all the credit goes to the Misfits and the all those who worked on it!


	5. A New Hope: sounds fake, but ok.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith is coming to realize several things at once.
> 
> 1\. The monster mash is not that bad of a song  
> 2\. Lotor is a dick, and his hair /does/ look like Elsa  
> 3\. Pidge is terrifying  
> 4\. Shiro is the bearer of great news.
> 
> And, maybe:  
> 5\. Lance is worthy of protecting, that brave, idiotic yogurt tube.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /hums the monster mash the entire time im writing this/ GODDAMN WHY.

 

Keith didn’t think he would ever be grateful for the existence of the song ‘Monster Mash’. 

 

Never in his life had he enjoyed listening to it, and this time of year seemed to have strict requirements for it to be played on nearly every speaker in existence.

 

It was a foul song; a hyped up children's tune that adults had no business dancing to.

 

And yet, he had done just that. Not by choice granted, but Lance had been insistent -  _ and strong! -  _ and to be completely honest...it hadn’t been that bad.

 

Like,  _ at all. _

 

Not that Keith had the spare mental capacity to fully appreciate the feeling of Lance’s arms around him as they spun about the shop; those were memories he would decipher later. Right now he had to focus on keeping the stupid boy alive.

 

_ He just had to piss off Lotor. Of all the goddamn people to mess with. It just had to be him! _

 

_ This guy has a death wish! _

 

But there was a certain level of respect accompanying those realizations as Keith slowly turned to see who had yelled out so suddenly, causing the two boys to spring apart unceremoniously in lieu of Lotor’s leaving.

 

_ He  _ did _ sort of rescue me, _ Keith thought as he watched Lance’s face drop in horror, spewing his demise as he apparently recognized the voice _ ….I should thank him for that at least. _

 

But now was clearly not the time, as a smallish person was making their way towards the center of the room, giving Lance such glare that Keith was almost worried there would be holes burning into his chest. 

 

_ Was this the danger? _

 

And then Lance was mentioning something about a will and a Pidge and Keith’s level of understanding of the situation was already so far gone that he just went with it.

 

“What did I  _ tell you _ about playing that  _ insult to the eardrums?! _ ” The tiny one shouted, and Keith slowly backed away as Lance grinned down at them sheepishly. 

 

“Uh...to not to?”

 

“ _ Precisely! _ ”

 

_ Yeah, I should go… _

 

Keith made an attempt to edge backwards towards his table, where Lotor had been in the middle of a very serious death threat when Lance had first approached.

 

_ That stupid- _

 

But Keith couldn’t deny how impressed he had been with Lance’s quick wit in regards to Lotor’s unethical statements. And the insults?

 

Fucking  _ prime. _

 

_ Still an idiot though. _

 

But...an idiot Keith could admire.

 

The second time Lance came around was definitely a relief. Keith wasn’t sure how much truth there had been to his words, and the ‘custom to dance’ whenever Monster Mash came on seemed much too preposterous to be a thing. Or maybe, like the rest of this café, it was just another outlandish Halloween tradition that mundanes drink up.

 

Whatever the case, Keith was counting his blessings.

 

Lotor had been in the process of threatening Shiro should Keith try something bold again. It was  _ him _ after all, that had caused the majority of Zarkon’s pack to dissipate, what with his, how had Lotor put it,  _ indefatigable adherence to the laws. _

 

_ Ha. Only when it comes to Were codes Elsa. _

 

_ Also thank you Lance for that wonderful nickname. I am so gonna share that with Shiro. _

 

His humour was short lived however, as Lance gestured over to him after something the small one- _ is that Pidge?- _ said, and suddenly Keith was being pulled back into their conversation.

 

“Tell them Keith!”

 

“Uh…” Keith glanced between the two employees. Pidge was giving him a once over that had him wishing his hoodie hid more of his face, whereas Lance was donning the largest puppy eyes Keith had ever witnessed. 

 

Which was saying something, seeing as Keith had grown up surrounded by wolves his whole life. 

 

But then those lovely blue circles were rolling up towards the ceiling as Lance huffed in annoyance at Keith’s obvious hesitation, and explained what it was he was after.

 

“Tell Pidge I only put that song on to save you from that creeper.”

 

Keith blinked, his shock evident on his face as Lance crossed his arms over his chest and waited for Keith to say something. 

 

“Wait…” he started, then felt a small smile begin to tug at his lips as he recalled the look of annoyance that had crossed Lotor’s face when Lance insisted they dance. “That was your plan the whole time?!”

 

Lance nodded proudly, turning back over to Pidge, who shook their head in disbelief. 

 

_ This guy is insane!!! _

 

“Oh my god,” Keith breathed out a shaky laugh, thinking back to how Lance had taken hold of Lotor’s arms and swung them around as one would with a child. 

 

_ Holy fuck he’s gonna die! _

 

“Lance, you really shouldn’t have interfered,” Keith’s amusement flickered out as quickly as it had come, and he pinched the bridge of his nose as he imagined all the possible, and incredibly  _ gruesome, _ ways Lotor could exact his revenge. “Those guys, they’re-” Keith struggled to find a word to perfectly explain Lotor and his closest followers. 

 

Cruel was too kind. 

 

Crazy was an understatement.

 

Feral...well, that one would work well enough, though not in the context of describing a human. Lance wouldn't understand. 

 

“-not good,” he finished lamely, but the message was still received. 

 

“Lance, what the  _ hell  _ did you get yourself into this time!?” Pidge turned their fury back towards the lankier boy, who waved them off with a shrug.

 

“It was nothing! I was just protecting a valued customer,” he gestured over to Keith, who felt his cheeks heat despite the tornado of worries now wreaking havoc in his mind. 

 

“Valued?” Pidge pointed up at Keith, eyes narrowing dangerously behind a thick pair of glasses. “Who even are you?! I’ve never seen you before in my life!”

 

“Uh-Keith.”

 

_ This one is scary! _

 

“Well ‘ _ Uh-Keith _ ’,” Pidge sneered, and Keith thanked the moon above that this one wasn’t a Were. “This café doesn’t deal with troublemakers. Don’t come here for your shady business deals or whatever. We don’t need it  _ nor _ want it!”

 

_ Jesus- _

 

“Hey!” Lance cut in, leaning down over Pidge and shaking a finger at them. “Rude! Bad Pidge! We are  _ nice _ to our customers. I’ve already explained what that word means.”

 

“And  _ I’ve _ already told you a million times about letting in  _ strays _ -”

 

_ Well that hurt all three of my feelings,  _ Keith thought with a scowl, and was about to open his mouth to defend himself when a bell rang.

 

“Keith?”

 

They all whirled, facing in the direction of the door as it swung shut behind the person who had spoken. 

 

Shiro glanced between the three of them, eyes landing on Keith last, and his eyebrows dropped into a disapproving frown.

 

“What did you do now?” he asked, though it sounded more like a statement than a question. 

 

“Nothing!” Keith started, tossing his hands in the air, because  _ of course Shiro had to see me like this! Typical.  _

 

“I don’t believe you,” Shiro replied, turning towards Lance and Pidge with an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry for whatever my brother did.”

 

“I didn’t do anything!” Keith tried again. “Or...well, sort of nothing, Lotor-”

 

Shiro’s eyes widened in panic, and his head swiveled around to investigate the rest of the coffee shop for any sign of their alpha. He then lunged forward and grabbed Keith by the arm, guiding him back towards the entrance despite Keith’s persistent wiggling.

 

“Shiro-”

 

“Sorry about that!” Shiro called over his shoulder, giving a small wave to Lance and Pidge as he maneuvered Keith out of the shop. “Forgive his insolence!”

 

Keith had just enough time to shoot a confused look in Lance’s direction, seeing a similar one plastered on the boys delicate features, before the door closed behind him, cutting off his view.

 

Keith whirled, trying to get his arm free of Shiro’s grip, but his brother was stronger, and led him around the side of the building, where he plopped him down in the passenger seat of their car before getting in himself. 

 

“What happened.” 

 

The words were out of Shiro’s mouth before Keith could even begin to protest, and he huffed out a frustrated breath as his brother started the vehicle. 

 

“I told you, it had nothing to do with me. Or, at least, I didn’t start it.”

 

Shiro sighed, his shoulders sagging as he let his head fall down onto the wheel. 

 

“Keith, what have I told you about fighting strangers-”

 

“I didn’t! Just listen!”

 

Shiro eyed him for a moment, then nodded once: a silent go-ahead.

 

_ Thank you, geez. _

 

“I was about to sit down at a table and wait for you and Lotor just  _ randomly _ showed up,” Keith began, skipping the parts that involved Lance. “Him and his goonies.”

 

Shiro was quiet, urging Keith onward.

 

“He said he wanted to talk, and it’s not like I could refuse him.” Keith tilted his head to the side and gave a little shrug. “Well, I  _ could _ have, but that wouldn’t have ended well at all. So if anything, you should be praising me for  _ not _ starting a fight.” He folded his arms over his chest and lifted his chin at Shiro definitely. “I prevented one. You’re welcome.”

 

Shiro didn’t crack a smile, as Keith had been going for.

 

_ Dammit. He’s still mad. _

 

_ Either that or he’s worried. _

 

_ Both are bad news. _

 

“What did he want,” Shiro said after a moment, and Keith explained.

 

“He was apparently in the area, expanding his territory and seeking out the members who fled after Zarkon’s rule was overturned. Said something about ‘teaching them proper manners’, which, knowing Lotor, likely involves the removal of a limb.”

 

Shiro nodded slowly in agreement, face somber as his eyes flickered briefly to the place his arm used to be, now filled with the plastic and metal of his prosthetic. 

 

_ Fuck, bad choice of words… _

 

“Sorry,” Keith mumbled, but Shiro waved him off.

 

“Go on.”

 

_ Right… _

 

“He said he ‘sensed’ me in the area, but I think he was just following the scent of my blood, and happened to find me in that coffee shop,  _ which _ by the way, you didn’t even get to experience in its fullest. The decor in there was just-”

 

_ “Keith,” _ Shiro warned, “you’re avoiding the subject. What did Lotor say, specifically.”

 

_ Fuck. Yeah, alright. _

 

Keith sighed, leaning his head back against the headrest of his seat and toying with a stray pen on the dash. 

 

His voice was hushed when he spoke again.

 

“He said that if I step one foot out of line, that he’ll make sure I never can again. And then he told me he would take your other arm if I even thought about challenging him.”

 

Shiro’s grip around the edge of the steering wheel tightened to the point where Keith was scared it would snap clean in half. 

 

_ “ _ That sneaky son-of-a-”

 

“I know,” Keith agreed, cutting off Shiro’s curse. It wasn’t like his brother to swear, and wasn’t something Keith particularly enjoyed hearing, because it meant words just weren’t enough. 

 

_ I know... _

 

Shiro sighed again, letting the air out slowly through his mouth, and looked back over towards Keith. 

 

“I won’t let him touch you Keith. I promise.”

 

_ Don’t make promises you can’t keep Shiro, _ Keith thought, turning to stare out the window as his brother finally shifted the car into gear. They drove passed the small coffee shop, where Keith could just make out the tall figure of the brave boy who had stepped in to save him from Lotor, standing behind the counter. 

 

And then he recalled something else from Lotor’s ‘conversation’, and glanced over at Shiro with a small smirk.

 

“Good news though,” he said, and Shiro raised a questioning brow. “Lotor let it slip that that new alpha is still in town.”

 

“Oh yeah,” Shiro nodded, causing Keith to shoot forward in his chair. “I knew that already.”

 

“ _ What?! _ How? When!” 

 

Shiro glanced over at him in confusion.

 

“What do mean? Didn’t you smell it?”

 

“You and I  _ both _ know your sense of smell is the best in the entire pack Shiro. Just tell me.”

 

Shiro hummed to himself, stopping at a red light and rubbing the back of his neck idly as he went on.

 

“That place you were in, the Full Moon whatever, had the reek of Weres.” 

 

“Yeah, uh, because me, Lotor and his creepy friends were stinking up the place,” Keith shot back, but Shiro shook his head.

 

“No. I recognize all those scents. This one was new; but faint. The wolfsbane was doing a good job at covering it up.”

 

_ Wait...what? _

 

_ Wolfsbane can do that? _

 

Keith’s confusion must have been evident on his face, since Shiro didn’t wait long to explain.

 

“I thought you were in the midst of challenging an alpha when I first walked in, which is why I interfered right away,” Shiro confessed, and Keith let his mouth drop open. 

 

_ Holy fuck… _

 

“You mean-”

 

“It wasn’t anyone you were talking with,” Shiro quickly went on, and Keith was almost disappointed that Pidge wasn’t the alpha. They would have given Lotor a run for his money.

 

_ Same with Lance honestly. How wild would that have been? _

 

“So who then?” he asked, and Shiro shrugged.

 

“No idea, but if the rumours are true, and it  _ is _ the same Were that took down Zarkon, then they haven’t cleared off. And I’ll bet you any money that  _ that _ was the real reason Lotor was in the area.”

 

Keith was quiet as he processed this new information. 

 

_ So Lotor hadn’t been expanding his territory after all. _

 

_ And that’s why he had been so defensive when Lance had said he was the alpha.  _

 

_ He probably thought Lance was challenging him then and there! _

 

Though Keith’s nose wasn’t as strong as Shiro’s, it was still better than Lotor’s, and he could detect almost immediately who was Were and who was not if he got close enough. And he had, since Lance had been mere inches away when Lotor had so _ rudely _ interrupted things. Apparently, however, that ability didn’t come easily to all, and without actually Changing, it was nearly impossible  to tell who possessed the wolf genetic. 

 

It was a fact that gave Keith a sense of superiority over Lotor, until a sickening thought echoed through his brain.

 

_ What if Lotor thinks the new alpha is Lance? _

 

_ He did basically call himself such, and hadn’t exactly backed down when Lotor called him out.  _

 

_ For all we know, Lotor could be planning some sort of take-down as we speak! _

 

_ Fuck.. _

 

“Shiro,” Keith’s voice was strained, causing his brother to look over in concern. “I think we have to warn that other alpha that Lotor is out looking for them.”

 

_ And ask them to protect Lance. _

 

_ And, well, everyone else. _

 

_ But mostly Lance. _

 

Shiro was nodding in agreement.

 

“I think so as well. It would be going against the laws-”

 

“No it wouldn’t,” Keith jutted in, a sly smile spreading across his face as his mind whirled with ideas. “Lotor can’t forbid us from seeking out another Were. And there are loopholes in case he ever does make an explicit statement against it.”

 

_ Loopholes that I can and  _ will _ exploit if I have to. _

 

“You and your laws,” Shiro chuckled. “If only you followed the human ones so diligently.”

 

Keith winked, his grin toothy as the mood in the car lightened with the possibility of a new alpha running Lotor off. 

 

It was almost too much to hope for, and though silver didn’t usually agree with Weres, there was no denying the hue to this lining.

 

“Our first step,” Shiro went on, “is to find out who the alpha is. And I’ll bet if we look hard enough, we’ll see that the management of that shop you were in just recently changed.”

 

“You think so?”

 

Shiro nodded again; the set in his jaw  indicating his mind was already fabricating a plan.

 

“So...does that mean we get to go back?” Keith asked, a little too enthusiastically. Shiro noticed, one brow rising almost knowingly as he stared at Keith.

 

“Yeah, I’d say so.”

 

“Good _ , _ ” Keith said, more to himself than anything, and turned to stare out the window again as they drove back to their apartment.

 

There was a soft laugh from beside him, indicating his reply had been louder than he thought.

 

“Was the coffee that good or something?” Shiro teased, and Keith felt his smile grow more tender as he thought back to the wild morning. 

 

To browns and blues and smiles that Keith was already missing. 

 

To flirting shamelessly and then  _ dancing _ to ward off Lotor. 

 

Lance was something else to be sure, and thinking back, Keith hadn’t even gotten the chance to taste the drink he had been made by the cute server. 

 

He found himself almost  _ missing _ those stupid wolf ears.

 

Almost.

 

Lance, either purposefully or not, now had a blazing target on his back, and with Lotor not in the  _ least _ bit opposed to killing innocents - _ though I highly doubt Lance falls into that category - _ Keith felt obligated to offer up some sort of protection.

 

_ It’s only fair really. He did me a favour, and I’ll do the same. _

 

_ We’ll protect each other from Lotor, though I don’t think my method will involve much dancing. _

 

“Keith?” Shiro’s voice cut through his thoughts, and Keith blinked as he smiled over at his brother.

 

“Let’s go with ‘or something’.”

 

_ Yeah.  _

 

_ Let’s go with that. _

 

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oooo? a new alpha? wonder who it could be...
> 
> Let's see what wats does next, shall we?


	6. So Call Me...Maybe?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance bathed in his self pity and then a certain gorgeous man appears in the scene. This should be interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> watsonthebox is back at it again! The plot thickens! Let's see how this turns out!

The rest of the day passed by in a blur, nothing else really sticking out in Lance's mind like a certain red-hoodied person. He also didn't get another chance to visit Hunk back in the kitchen, in hopes to smuggle another pastry and apologize for having to put him into that situation with Pidge.

Lance had already cleaned, and re-cleaned everything, so now he was stuck at the front counter, waiting for another customer to come into Full Moon Roast. Lance's evening was filled with heavy sighs and longing looks between a certain table missing its wolfsbane centerpiece, to the café's exit.

Lance propped his elbows on the counter, letting his face fall into his hand, squishing one side of his face. The world outside the café continued to pass by.

Little kids smudging the class of the downtown shops and their parents pulled them along. There was a couple sitting on one of the benches, giggling at one another, both in their own little world.

Lance let his head fall onto the counter.

He didn't even get the chance to say goodbye. Not even get a last name, let alone ask Keith out on a date. Just a cute smile, flirtatious eyes, and shaggy black hair that suspiciously reminded Lance of a bad 80s hairstyle.

 

_Just five more minutes. Just five more minutes alone with him. Is that too much to ask?_

 

Lance was going to ask if Keith wanted to hang out sometime, but before he had the chance, those goons interrupted them. And when Lance finally got them to leave with the ridiculous (amazing) dance, Pidge came bursting in, slinging a slur of profanities and fury in their path. And before Lance could get her to calm down, some man with a prosthetic arm (Shiro if Lance had to guess. He must have been the person Keith was talking to on his phone) whisked Keith away and practically vanished into the crisp air.

If this were some sort of romcom, Lance would've ran out the door, chased after him, got down on one knee and profess his undying love to the mysterious, edgy teen.

 

_Okay, maybe that is a bit too dramatic, even for me. I would've got his full name at least and asked him in a date._

 

But this wasn't a Hallmark movie. And it wasn't raining, so that troupe was out. And you always need rain to make love confession memorable. And Lance still had a job to do.

Pidge was still furious at him, so there wasn't any chance that Lance would, or could, leave the shop to chase after Keith and still live to tell the tale. Pidge would honestly kill him if he even thought about about leaving the shop to leave Pidge and Hunk to fend for themselves. Sure it was a slow day and the Full Moon Roast was practically dead, but Lance wasn't that type of guy; he stuck with his friends.

So now he was stuck here, ditching the idea of writing his will and instead writing little lovesick poems and drawing small little hearts on napkins with his blue crayon. Lance knew he was a hopeless romantic and a little (a lot) dramatic, but hey. A guy can dream, right?

For the umpteenth time, Lance sighed again, maybe a bit too loudly if the nasty looks he was getting from the older lady in the back corner of the café said anything about it. Lance just couldn't help it. He just couldn't focus. Even when Pidge was still cursing his name and threatening to make his life a living hell if he ever played that song again (he still couldn't bring himself to feel the least bit sorry for it). He wasn't his upbeat, cheery self when he was dealing with the other customers. His mind was just elsewhere.

Not elsewhere exactly. More like someone. Someone with dark, black hair and the most beautiful violet eyes that Lance had ever seen. Someone who looked amazing in red, and who had a laugh that could probably heal every disease known to man. Someone whose body felt _so_ _warm_ and _solid_ pressed against his as they danced around the-

The front bell on the entrance door chimed, bringing Lance back to reality and out of his uh...fantasy.

 

"Welcome to Full Moon-oh! Coran, you're back! How was-"

 

Lance quickly noticed that Coran, his usual kooky and happy-go-lucky boss, was not like his usual self.

 

"Uhh...Coran?"

 

Lance watched in slight shock as his usually calm boss was suddenly very tense as he walked around the shop. Coran slowly made his way around the café, letting his hands lightly pass over the chairs and tables.

When Coran reached the table that Keith and his...acquaintances were at, Coran froze, gripping the chair that the Lucius Malfoy wannabe was sitting at. And he- was he...sniffing?

 

"Um, Coran? Buddy ole pal? Practicing for a Febreeze commercial?"

 

Coran jumped at hearing his own name, as if he hadn't realized Lance said his name already twice. Coran sent him a strained smile, and Lance could still see that his neck and shoulders were tense.

 

"Ah, sorry my boy! Spaced out there for a second! I just got back from visiting a friend and decided to drop by to check up on you all!"

 

Coran's eyes kept darting to the table where Keith was, his nose crinkling a little bit as he talked to Lance. Okay, Lance knew that Coran was a bit off his rocker, but this was weird, even for Coran.

 

"Yeah..is everything alright Coran? You act like you've smelled a wet dog or something?"

"Hmm? Oh yes, of course! Lance, my boy, do you happen to remember who was sitting here? Any new faces or customers come in today?"

"Yeah! There was a few people who sat there. A few creepy older dudes and one guy around my age."

 

Just one of if not the most attractive 'guy' I have ever met who walked out of those doors with a piece of my heart like it was no big deal. I wonder if he misses me? Is he gonna come back? I really hope he-

 

"Do you know any of there names?"

_I_ _don't_ _think_ _I_ _could_ _ever_ _forget_ _to_ _be_ _perfectly_ _honest_.

"Keith was one of their names, the one who was my age."

 

Coran nodded, mostly to himself, fingers twirling the end of his mustache with his brow furrowed.

 

"And then there was the Lord of the Creeps who had super long silvery white hair. I'm pretty sure that's not his real color, there's no way. His roots were pretty awful. I think he name was Lotor or something, and-"

 

Coran turned rigid and jerked his head toward the table and then the exit.

 

"Lotor? Why would Lotor come all the way over-"

Coran trailed off, realization hitting across his features.

"Of course. He must've heard the rumors. I shouldn't be that surprised. I was expecting this. I have to tell-"

"Uh, boss? My weird orange uncle? Is everything okay?"

 

Lance was on the edge of freaking out a bit. Keith had told him that Lotor and his goons were bad, but Lance didn't take it too seriously. But if Coran was acting like this, maybe Lance should've taken what Keith said more seriously. Coran was a good judge of character, so if he thought this Lotor guys was bad news, he probably was bad news.

If possible, Coran became even more tense, which made Lance even more nervous.

 

"Lance, what exactly happened? Tell me the whole story exactly, to the very best of your abilities."

 

Lance gave him a quick nod and wiped his sweaty palms on his apron, clearing his throat.

 

"Well, I woke up this morning, put on one of my new face masks that I just bought, which I was nervous about because I didn't know if it would make my skin break out, but it had rose in it which helps with sensitive skin-"

 

Coran had to physically keep his arm down to stop himself from smacking his forehead.

 

"My boy, I meant when they came in."

 

Lance chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. He knew he was babbling. It was a nervous habit he developed ever since he was a little kid.

 

"Heh, right. So business was pretty slow and it was slowly killing me and I was in the middle of writing my will when this fucking sexy-uh, I mean the guy who was close to my age came into the shop. He looked like he was lost, like he just woke up or something. He was pretty normal _amazing_. The only weird thing about him was that he didn't like the wolfsbane. Or my ears and tails, can you believe that?!"

 

Coran narrowed his eyes and slightly cocked his head to the side.

"He didn't like the wolfsbane?"

Lance shrugged.

"Yeah, he said he was allergic to it or something. He used my phone to call somebody named Shiro, and then I brought him his cappuccino."

"A cappuccino? You didn't practice your 'coffee art' did you? I really don't want another lawsuit threat on my hands."

Lance vigorously shook his head, hands raised up.

"No no! Uh, well...yes. But he liked it! He thought it was pretty funny although it was clearly a leaf! He just had a dirty mind! It was obviously a leaf, not a...hotdog."

 

Coran couldn't stop his hand this time as it collided with his forehead, making a loud smack.

 

"Okay, alright. Just skip to the part where Lotor came in."

"Right. When Keith and I were in the middle of...talking, he and his two lackeys, rudely I might add, burst into the café and sat with Keith, and I had to go back to the counter. Then I noticed that Goldilocks was really freaking Keith out and making him uncomfortable, so I told him of our policy that says you had to buy something in order to stay at our café."

Lance scrunched up his nose, frowning in disgust.

"Then he tried to flirt with me when I asked what he wanted and he asked how much a 'slice of me would cost' which is honestly the creepiest thing I have ever heard. He was like an anime Hannibal. When that didn't work, I had Hunk play-"

"HE MADE HUNK PLAY THAT PIECE OF SHIT HALLOWEEN SONG THAT PUTS A PLAUGE ON ALL YOUR CROPS!!"

 

Lance and Coran couldn't help but chuckle at the pure hatred and anger in Pidge's voice that could be heard from the very back of the café.

"What Pidge said, but I kinda made up a policy that whenever that song played, we had to dance with one of our customers, so I swept Keith off his feet and shimmied our way out of there. As a final blow, I made Lotor dance to, which he didn't seem to thrilled about. He moves much like a limp noodle. Well, his arms at least. It was like trying to make cooked spaghetti dance. But hey! It worked! By the time the song had played through, they had left the café!"

 

Coran smiled and shook his head, trying to hold back his laughter (and horror) as he imagined Lance making Lotor dance to the Monster Mash. Coran then looked around the Full Moon Roast, searching for this so-called Keith.

 

"Where is this Keith fellow? I can still smell-"

Coran quickly cleared his throat and gave a few hard coughs into a balled fist.

"I can only imagine that he hasn't been gone too long."

 

Lance gave Coran a hard, confused look, eyebrow slowly rising.

_Weird._

"Riiight..uh yeah, he hasn't been gone that long. Another man, I'm pretty sure it was Shiro, came in when Pidge was tearing into me and ripping me a new one about playing that song and took Keith out of the shop with him. And poof! They were gone."

 

Lance tried to keep the disappointment out of his voice, but obviously failed as Coran gave him a lopsided grin and patted him on the back.

 

"Don't worry my boy! You'll see them again!"

If Lance's wolf ears and tail could move, they would've perked straight up.

"Really? You think so?"

"Oh I know so! May I see you phone, Lance?"

 

Lance nodded and took his phone out of his pocket, unlocking it and handing it to Coran.

"You said Keith used your phone to call this Shiro, correct?"

Lance gave him another nod.

"Well, we'll just call this Shiro!"

 

Lance nearly fell over the counter.

 

"WHAT? Coran you can't just call him! What would-"

"Nonsense, my boy! I just need to have a quick chat with Shiro and Keith. To give them my condolences and apologizes, of course. No one should feel uncomfortable at my shop! We have a reputation to maintain here at Full Moon Roast!"

Lance watched in slight horror as Coran redialed the number, bringing the bedazzled phone to his ear.

 

"Besides, I feel like we would have a lot to talk about."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vulpes! I choose you!!
> 
> ...to do the next chapter.


	7. Can this day just end. Please.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You sound awful!” Keith fired back, and then immediately regretted it. Lance was silent for a grand total of three seconds, and then Keith was forced to move his phone away from his ear as the sheer volume in Lance’s voice threatened to obliterate his eardrums.
> 
>  
> 
> “KEITH?!”
> 
>  
> 
> Oh crap...cat’s outta the bag.
> 
>  
> 
> Or wolf.
> 
>  
> 
> Heh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It started off so fluffy...

 

They were just pulling up to the their street; Shiro having spent a good majority of the day running mundane errands as Keith napped in the back seat, when Shiro’s phone rang.

 

Keith burst out laughing; waking from his doze as the obnoxiously cheery lyrics to ‘Barbie Girl’ drowned out the background music of the radio. 

 

“Ah, shit,” Shiro grumbled, reaching into his back pocket with one hand while the other tried to keep the vehicle in it’s proper lane. 

 

“Jesus Shiro,” Keith broke off as the car swerved sickeningly to the right, and grabbed hold of the wheel from his position in the back. “Maybe  _ don’t  _ use the fake arm to drive, yeah?”

 

“Whoops,” his brother said, tossing his phone over into Keith’s lap as he regained full control of the steering. “Can you answer that?”

 

Keith was grinning again, singing along to the lyrics as the snippet of ringtone replayed.

 

_ “I’m a Barbie girl! In a Barbie world! Life-” _

 

“Keith,” Shiro growled through gritted teeth, but Keith ignored him.

 

“What! It’s a good song! And if you don’t like it then why is it your ringtone?”

 

Shiro glanced over at him through heavily lidded eyes.

 

“Because  _ someone  _ won’t tell me how to change it. And of all the dumb songs you’ve put as my ringtone, that one is at least tolerable.”

 

Keith snorted.

 

“So you  _ do _ like it! Knew it.” He began dancing as the chorus repeated again, but broke off hastily as the motion jarred his possibly broken ribs. “Ah, fuck-”

 

“Serves you right,” Shiro huffed, having seen the ordeal. “Now answer it before they hang up!”

 

“If it’s important then they’ll leave a voicemail,” Keith retorted, humming the song as it played once more.

 

“Yeah, I know that’s  _ your _ policy, but  _ I  _ happen to have a reputation of answering all my phone calls. So do it.” 

 

Keith groaned, staring down at the phone in his lap with discontent, but did as he was asked. 

 

“They invented texting for a reason,” he grumbled under his breath, and right when Shiro was about to open his mouth with some snarky reply, slid the answer button over. “Hello?”

 

Shiro sighed in front of him, shaking his head slowly at Keith’s apparent lack of phone etiquette. 

 

_ “Hello? Is this, by any chance, Shiro?” _

 

_ Fucking duh,  _ Keith thought, then, because he was feeling just a tad sassy, said:

 

“No.”

 

_ “Oh,” _ the voice, decidedly male and heavily accented replied. “ _ I apologize. Must have the wrong number-” _

 

“But this is his phone,” Keith went on, saving the man from his blabbering. There was a brief pause, in which Shiro slapped Keith on his upper arm lightly in a very ‘behave yourself’ manner. Keith stuck his tongue out in reply. 

 

_ “Right…”  _ the voice said, allowing traces of annoyance to taint his tone.  _ “Then whom, may I ask, am I speaking with?” _

 

“Keith.”

 

_ “Keith…” _

 

There was a shuffle in the background; the sounds of something being knocked off a table or shelf, and then hushed, indecipherable whispers on the other end. 

 

Keith frowned, glancing over at his brother with a confused look.

 

“Uh...hello?” he asked, and suddenly the voice was back; breathless and more distant, as if the man had moved outside to talk. 

 

_ Werido. _

 

_ “Sorry about that lad,” _ the voice huffed out, and Keith waited for him to go on.  _ “Just...fell.” _

 

_ Right. Ok. Don’t care. _

 

Again he said nothing, which the voice took as an invitation to continue. 

 

_ “So, Keith was it?” _

 

“Uh...yeah?”

 

_ “Splendid. I take it you’re currently with this Shiro fellow?” _

 

Keith brought the phone away from his ear, glancing at the unknown number and shooting his brother a look.

 

“Who is this?” he demanded, bringing the phone back up to his face. “And why are you calling?”

 

“Keith!” Shiro hissed at him from the driver’s seat, but Keith turned away. 

 

_ “My name is Coran, and I’m the manager of the Full Moon Roast-” _

 

_ Oh fucking hell,  _ Keith thought with a groan.  _ I’m in trouble. _

 

_ But for what? I didn’t do anything! _

 

_ I bet that Pidge person said something. _

 

_ But how did he get this number? _

 

_ “-heard about an incident that transpired this morning-”  _ the voice went on, but Keith was hardly paying attention.

 

_ If he’s calling Shiro then that would mean he wants me to pay damages or something. Not that I did anything wrong.  _

 

_ But how did he find Shiro? It’s not like I gave a last name or- _

 

_ Wait… _

 

_ LANCE! _

 

“ _ -apologize for whatever occurred and perhaps speak-” _

 

“Is Lance there?” Keith interrupted, and there was a pause as the man broke off. 

 

_ “Lance? Well, yes, he works here-” _

 

“And you’re using his phone to call Shiro?”

 

Another pause, then:

 

_ “You are correct-” _

 

_ I knew it!  _

 

_ Does that mean Lance ratted me out? _

 

_ But I didn’t DO anything! _

 

“Listen,” Keith cut the man off again, and he could sense the growing frustration of whoever it was on the other end. “I’m sorry for what happened at your café, but it won’t happen again. In fact, I won’t come back. Ok? So just, delete this number and pretend-”

 

_ “Actually, young man,”  _ the voice cut into Keith’s speech.  _ “I want quite the opposite.” _

 

“What do you mean?” Keith asked hesitantly, and the voice chuckled.

 

_ “I mean, I would like to meet yourself and Shiro. You both left quite a...trace. And an allergy to wolfsbane...very rare.” _

 

_ Holy shit….is this..? _

 

Keith hung up.

 

It was more of a reflex than anything, but the damage was done, and the line went dead. 

 

“What-” Shiro started to ask, but Keith spoke over him.

 

“I think that was that new alpha.”

 

Shiro was silent beside him, mouth hanging open ever so slightly as he brought the car to a stop. They sat inside for a moment longer, and then Shiro was reaching over and yanking the phone out of Keith’s hands.

 

“Wha-hey!” Keith protested, but Shiro was quicker, and exited the car whilst maneuvering through his call history. “Shiro you can’t just call him back! What if he wants to fight us! Or...or kill us!”

 

“We wanted to find out if there was a new alpha anyways, right?” Shiro said without turning to look as Keith ran to his side. “And now he’s calling...what did he say?”

 

Keith shook his head, struggling to keep pace with his brother as he trudged up the stairs to their apartment.

 

“I-nothing really. He mentioned something about us leaving a trace. I think….he may have wanted to talk.”

 

Shiro froze, foot hovering in mid-air over the next step up, and whirled to face Keith.

 

“You’re saying a potential new alpha called us, hinted at wanted to speak with us, and you  _ hung up on him?!” _

 

“I panicked!” Keith shot back, and Shiro groaned loudly as he unlocked their front door. 

 

“Of all the disrespectful things to do-” 

 

“Hey, nowhere in the laws does it mention hanging up on an alpha as a sign of disrespect,” Keith said as Shiro moved over to the kitchen table. 

 

“Maybe not,” Shiro agreed, “but hanging up on people mid conversation  _ is.  _ I raised you better than that.”

 

_ Oh, so now I’m getting a lecture!? _

 

“Shiro-”

 

“ _ Keith.” _

 

Keith grumbled loudly, tossing his hands up in the air in defeat and falling down onto the couch. He regretted the action as soon as his side hit the cushions, and he curled in on himself as pain blossomed bright and colourful behind clenched eyelids.

 

“I need a nap,” he whined, and heard Shiro sigh from the kitchen. “For life. A perma-nap.”

 

There was movement behind him, and then the couch dipped as Shiro sat beside him. 

 

“I think that’s called death.”

 

Keith grunted, lifting himself up to sit properly, and wincing as his headache started up again.

 

“Sign me up.”

 

“No.”

 

Keith whined, letting his head fall back on the couch and shutting his eyes against the throbbing in his body. 

 

“Then can I suffer for a moment in peace?”

 

Again Shiro shook his head.

 

“Nope, sorry. No suffering allowed under my roof.”

 

“ _ Our _ roof,” Keith shot back. “I pay rent.”

 

“I’m older.”

 

Keith groaned, lacking the energy to fire back. Shiro must have sensed this, and relented. 

 

“Fine. Go have a shower and get cleaned up.”

 

Keith peaked over at him.

 

“Oh the small victories in life,” he mumbled, but then Shiro was shaking his phone in front of his face.

 

“But after that you’re calling back that man, that potential  _ alpha _ , and maybe even  _ ally _ , and apologizing.”

 

Keith made a prolonged whimpering sound in the back of his throat, sliding forward off the couch and onto the floor.

 

“Shiiirrooo,” he drawled, glancing up at him from his new position. “Why are you torturing me?”

 

Shiro rolled his eyes, standing and helping Keith to his feet. 

 

“It’s not that bad.”

 

“It is,” Keith mumbled back. “Why can’t you just call him? You’re better at this sort of stuff.”

 

Shiro crossed his arms over his chest, nudging Keith in the direction of the bathroom with his foot. 

 

“Because,” Shiro explained. “As well as teaching you proper manners, it’s time you learn how to make a phone call without being a complete tit about things.”

 

Keith held up a single finger in reply, wandering down the hall towards the bathroom.

 

“They invented texting for a reason!” he called over his shoulder, hovering in the doorway as he awaited Shiro’s reply.

 

“You are  _ not _ sending the new alpha Were a text saying ‘lol sorry bout that’ and then three smiley faces and that creepy moon emoji.”

 

“It’s not creepy! It’s hilarious,” Keith grumbled, and shut the door as Shiro’s chuckles echoed down the hallway. 

 

_ And texting is way more efficient. No awkward pauses...no hearing each other breathing. _

 

_ Yuck. _

 

Keith moped about the impeding social interaction awaiting him once he had finished his shower, and thus took his sweet time getting cleaned up. At first it had been in protest to Shiro, but after feeling the hot water soak into his sore muscles, Keith sort of lost track of the time. 

 

After drying off, he spent another ten minutes or so just applying bandages to his ankle and side, before popping a few more ibuprofen for his head and finally exiting the bathroom. Shiro was still waiting for him, but Keith made a detour into their kitchen first, grabbing a few muffins from off the counter and bag of chips before finally sauntering into the living room.

 

“Wow, it lives,” Shiro grumbled, setting down his phone and tossing a pillow over at Keith.

 

“Barely,” Keith replied through a mouthful of muffin. “But yeah.”

 

He hadn’t bothering donning a shirt after his shower, and Shiro’s teasing turned to concern as he saw the many bandages Keith had applied, as well as the growing bruises now decorating his arms and neck. 

 

“Jesus Keith, you look awful.”

 

“Thanks. The look matches the mood.”

 

Shiro watched him for a moment longer, possibly contemplating bringing him to the hospital or something, until Keith sat down with a wave of dismissal.

 

“I’m fine Shiro,” he said, opening the bag of chips and digging in. “Just a bit sore.”

 

“But maybe we should get your side checked out-”

 

“And tell the nurse what? That I fell down a flight of stairs?” He shook his head, propping the pillow up underneath him. “They would assume the worst Shiro, and then there would be investigations and nosy social workers knocking at our doors, and I don’t want that. We don’t  _ need _ it.” He sighed, stretching his legs out and rolling his ankle to prove a point. “Besides, our kind heals faster than humans. I’ll be back to normal in a day or two.”

 

Shiro still looked unconvinced, but Keith’s reasoning was true enough. He relented with a short exhale, then threw Keith’s phone over at him.

 

“Fine. Then it’s time to call that man back.” 

 

Keith grumbled in complaint, but didn’t argue back this time. He knew Shiro was right, and getting on the good side of a new alpha was always a bonus.

 

Sort of against the laws, but so long as they weren’t caught, then they were fine. And besides, it wasn’t like they were planning a revolt...not yet anyways.

 

_ That would be amazing though...if Shiro and I could switch packs.  _

 

_ Of course that would mean the new alpha would have to be strong enough to defeat Lotor, but hey, if they got Zarkon, then why not? _

 

_ But first...the dreaded phone call. _

 

Keith held out his hand, motioning for Shiro’s phone. His brother looked over at him with raised brows.

 

“What.”

 

“Gimme your phone, if you want me to call.”

 

Shiro smirked, moving to sit at the kitchen table and open his laptop as he ignored Keith’s request.

 

“No way. You already wasted enough of my minutes.”

 

“ _ Wow _ ,” Keith grunted as he picked up the phone Shiro had tossed at him.  _ His _ phone, complete with red case and cracked screen. “First you’re making me actually  _ call _ someone, and now you’re making me  _ pay _ for it. What is this.”

 

“Call it karma for Barbie girl,” Shiro called back over his shoulder, and Keith rolled his eyes.

 

_ Fair enough. _

 

He unlocked his screen, finding the number already dialed up and just waiting for him to press call. 

 

“You creeper,” he said loud enough for Shiro to hear, and the resounding chuckles were evidence enough that Shiro knew what he was referring to. 

 

_ Guess I have no more excuses. _

 

Keith took a deep breath, then quickly hit call and brought the phone up to his ear before he could think much more of it. 

 

He counted 7 dials, and was about to hang up when a breathy voice answered.

 

_ “Hello?” _

 

Keith froze.

 

_ That’s Lance’s voice. _

 

_ Why is Lance answering!? _

 

_ Wait….is this his number? _

 

_ But...how…? _

 

Keith’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, and his silence must have been enough to cause concern, seeing as the voice was quick to pick up on it. 

 

_ “Uh...hello? Anyone there?” _

 

“Um, hi,” Keith managed to spit out, then slapped himself on the forehead as he tried to merge with the couch beneath him.

 

_ Of course it’s Lance’s number! I freaking used his phone to call Shiro! _

 

_ Stupid! _

 

But at the same time, there was a pittering in Keith’s chest that was difficult to ignore, and the soft laughter on the other end of the phone wasn’t helping matters. At all.

 

_ “You gonna tell me who this is or am I gonna have to guess?” _

 

_ He doesn’t recognize my voice! _

 

And where that could have worked in Keith’s favour, with him simply asking to speak with this Coran guy and get his apology over with, another, much more  _ enticing _ idea occurred to him.

 

_ Shiro  _ did _ sort of interrupt before I could get in much flirting…. _

 

_ And it was  _ his _ idea for me to call in the first place.  _

 

_ Yeah, fuck it. _

 

“I’ll give you three tries,” he said in response to Lance’s question, and heard the quiet exhale of breath as the other huffed.

 

_ “I don’t need any gold spun Rumpelstiltskin,”  _ Lance chuckled, and Keith bit back a smile of his own as he imagined Lance draping himself over the counter of that coffee shop as he spoke. 

 

“That counts as a guess. Two more.”

 

_ “Wha-hey!”  _ Lance spluttered, and suddenly background voices could be heard, though Keith could only hear Lance’s replies to the apparent questions.  _ “Sorry, nope. It’s my...mom calling. Pidge cover for me for a moment?”  _ There was a pause, then:  _ “thanks you’re the best! And yes I’m interpreting that look of annoyance as one of brotherly love! Be back in five.” _

 

The sound of a door being swung open, and then Lance’s voice was back in his ear, loud and without a doubt meant for him to hear.

 

_ “Hey, sorry bout that.”  _

 

“Don’t worry kiddo. You’ll always be my little mama's boy,” Keith teased, and was grinning as he heard Lance’s scoff.

 

_ “Crap...you heard that?! How embarrassing. I miss those old phones where you could cover the actual speaker.” _

 

Keith nodded his agreement, but remembered that Lance couldn’t see him, so he changed the subject instead.

 

“I believe you were in the middle of guessing my name? Or have you given up.”

 

_ “Excuse you, but I  _ never _ give up. It’s part of my whole allure.” _

 

_ You got that much right, _ Keith thought to himself, recalling how Lance had persisted in ‘saving’ him from Lotor, despite him saying otherwise. It was an admirable trait, but one that would ultimately get Lance into trouble one day.

 

_ If it already hasn’t. Lotor is probably already sending out a pack-wide watch list for a tall, sassy boy who smells pleasantly like coffee beans and lemon pledge.  _

 

_ Which reminds me, I need to warn this Coran guy,  _ if _ he even is the new alpha, about one of his employees being a potential target.  _

 

_ “-still there?”  _ Lance was saying, and Keith shook his head to re-focus. 

 

“Sorry, what was that?” 

 

A grunt of amusement, and then Lance was clicking his tongue at him.

 

_ “A little hard of hearing there Grandpa?” _ he teased, and Keith allowed his grin to grow.

 

“Second guess. Only one more.”

 

_ “What! Unfair!”  _ Lance whined, and Keith bit his lower lip to keep from laughing.  _ “Grandpa does not count.” _

 

“Does in my books.” 

 

_ “Your books sound awful.” _

 

“ _ You _ sound awful!” Keith fired back, and then immediately regretted it. Lance was silent for a grand total of three seconds, and then Keith was forced to move his phone away from his ear as the sheer volume in Lance’s voice threatened to obliterate his eardrums. 

 

_ “KEITH?!” _

 

_ Oh crap...cat’s outta the bag. _

 

_ Or wolf. _

 

_ Heh. _

 

“Ah darn,” he mumbled, suddenly shy now that his identity had been revealed. “You got me.”

 

_ “Keith?!”  _ Lance said again, as if in disbelief.  _ “Keith as in, tall dark and handsome Keith? Keith who made fun of my coffee art and then danced with me to the Monster Mash Keith? Keith.” _

 

Keith was laughing now, and made a point of ignoring the odd looks he was receiving from Shiro as he stood and moved into his room. His brother didn’t need to see his growing blush.

 

“Say my name anymore and it’ll start sounding like nothing.”

 

_ “HA!”  _ Lance practically shouted into the phone.  _ “Too late Keith. Keith Keith Keith Keith-” _

 

“Alright stop it you weirdo,” Keith interrupted. It wasn’t that he was annoyed at hearing his name be repeated over and over again. It was more that he was  _ enjoying _ listening to Lance utter the word. It sounded...almost too right. And Keith was worried about what he might do should it continue.

 

Or what his body might do.

 

Thank god he had left the living room when he did.

 

_ “So, Keith,” _ Lance went on as Keith sprawled out over his bed.  _ “Just couldn’t resist the sound of my voice eh? Had to call me up right away?” _

 

Keith rolled over onto his side, grabbing his pillow and cradling it up against his injured side as he smiled into his phone.

 

“That’s ripe, coming from you. Didn’t even recognize it was me calling. Rude.”

 

_ “Ok, first of all, your voice sounds way deeper on this phone,”  _ Lance said matter-o-factly.  _ “Second of all, it’s been like, six hours or something. You know how many people have come into this shop since your visit this morning?” _

 

Keith hummed to himself.

 

“Excuses.”

 

_ “Ok, yes. Maybe,”  _ Lance relented, and Keith felt an odd giddiness bubble up in his stomach as he heard the dramatic sigh from the other boy.  _ “And to answer my own question, seventeen people. And none of them were as memorable as you.” _

 

_ Hmm, nice try. _

 

“You say that, but you still didn’t know it was me calling. I’m offended really.”

 

_ “Keeeeith!”  _ Lance whined, and Keith could almost visualize the pout forming.  _ “What can I do to make it up to you!” _

 

“I don’t know if you can,” Keith sighed heavily into the phone, doing his best to sound pathetic and hurt. It seemed to do the trick.

 

_ “How about a free coffee?” _

 

“So you can offend me some more by drawing a dick in it? No thanks.” 

 

Lance scoffed on the other end, but there was humour colouring his tone when he spoke again.

 

_ “Hey, don’t lie now. You loved my dick.” _

 

_ What- _

 

A beat of silence, and then Lance was once again shouting into the phone.

 

_ “Drawing! Dick drawing! That’s-I meant that. Not...the other thing. It wasn’t even a dick, it was a leaf. Oh jesus,” _ Lance sighed into the receiver. _ “Please pretend I didn’t just say that.” _

 

Keith was too in shock to answer right away, mostly because Lance had said the word ‘dick’ so many times that that was now the only image in Keith’s head. It was entirely too distracting, and he sat up, shaking his head of the imagined images. 

 

“Lance,” Keith managed to get out, and then, without even realizing why, he started laughing. 

 

_ “Don’t laugh at my misery Keith!”  _ Lance squeaked into his ear, which only made Keith laugh _ more. _

 

“Guess I was memorable for all the wrong reasons,” Keith managed to say between chuckles, and then he was clutching his side in pain as a renewed bout of laughter jarred his side. 

 

_ “Ok, no. Let me just set this straight-” _

 

“Or not,” Keith chimed in, and Lance huffed out his own breathy laugh as he groaned.

 

_ “Keith you’re the  _ worst! _ But for real…”  _ Keith calmed himself as Lance’s voice took a more serious tone. He leaned back against the wall adjacent to his bed, and listened to what Lance had to say. “ _ You were the most memorable person to walk through these café doors for as long as I’ve worked here. I want you to know that. And, yes, my eyes may have wandered a  _ bit _ while you were here-” _

 

“Pervert,” Keith muttered teasingly.

 

_ “Am not,” _ Lance replied, then continued unhindered. _ “Keith, you left a lasting impression, and I want…” _ Lance took a quick breath before going on.  _ “I was wondering if maybe you wanted to hang out sometime?” _

 

_ Oh my god… _

 

Keith wanted to say yes. He was so close to uttering the word...but something held him back. 

 

Or, well, not something so much as  _ someone. _

 

_ I can’t...if Lotor finds out, he’ll kill Lance just for the fun of it.  _

 

_ Especially if he thinks Lance is the new alpha. I just...I can’t put Lance in that situation. _

 

_ It would be too dangerous. _

 

His hesitation must have been taken in the wrong way, seeing as Lance was now rambling nervously to fill the silence.

 

_ “-don’t have to of course, I just thought I’d ask. I mean, I figured my offer of free coffee would be incentive enough, but I don’t want to pressure you or anything like that. I just thought you were cool and-and, I don’t know, nice, I guess. And, oh god. You probably already have someone in your life! Of course you do, being that attractive. I’m so sorry-” _

 

“Lance,” Keith cut him off, his smile holding more sadness as he went on. “No, it’s...it’s not that.”

 

There was brief pause, and then:

 

_ “Oh?” _

 

Keith sighed. He didn’t want to tell Lance the truth. He  _ couldn’t _ for one, since it was crazy and Lance would likely hang up on him immediately after hearing the words ‘werewolf’. But even if Lance, by some miracle,  _ did _ happen to believe him, then what? 

 

He couldn’t start dating someone! Not in the middle of this pack feud! Not with Lotor already having the idea in his head that Lance could be a potential threat!

 

All he would need is that  _ one _ excuse to go after him. Just  _ smell _ Lance on his clothing, and he would assume the worst.

 

_ He would think I’m hanging around a new alpha, planning an uprising.  _

 

_ And then Lance would be dog food. _

 

It was an upsetting thought, but one Keith had to face. 

 

“I just...it’s complicated.” And it was, but that didn’t keep his excuse from sounding any less lame.

 

_ “Oh…sorry. I must have gotten the wrong impression.” _

 

Keith shut his eyes as the injury in Lance’s voice washed over him. The last thing he wanted was to hurt Lance. In fact he wanted the exact  _ opposite _ ! 

 

_ I want to make you happy Lance, I do. I want to see you smile and hear you laugh, and I want to be the reason you do those things. _

 

_ And I would love to get a coffee with you! And get to know you better! _

 

_ But I can’t. Because I’m not...human. And that man, Lotor, who you saved me from….he would kill you if he found me hanging out with you.  _

 

_ He...may think you’re competition. And you don’t want to know what Lotor does to those he deems as threats. _

 

The thoughts chased themselves around Keith’s head, like a dog chasing it’s tail, for lack of a better metaphor. Keith wanted to say them; to let Lance in on his deepest secret. He had to physically bite his tongue lest he confess everything right then and there.

 

But that would be selfish on his part, and it was easier to distance himself from Lance.

 

Besides, they had really only just met that morning. 

 

Space should be easy to obtain.

 

_ So then...why is this so fucking hard?! _

 

“Listen, Lance, the real reason I called,” he hated himself for how those words came out, especially after shutting down Lance’s offer of a date. It was like pouring vinegar on an open wound. But they had to be said. It was better for Lance to hate him now than later anyways.

 

_ May as well rip off this bandaid and hope the wound heals smooth. _

 

“I need to talk to Coran.”

 

The silence this time dragged on for what felt like minutes, until Lance’s long, shaky exhale of breath sounded through the speaker. 

 

_ “Coran. Right.”  _ The sound of shuffling, as if Lance were standing, and then a door swinging open.  _ “Um, I’ll give him your number ok? I sort of need my phone.” _

 

_ Oh… _

 

“Um...yeah, ok,” Keith’s voice was a whisper, and he felt his previous joy from talking with Lance drain out of him, as if someone had pulled the plug on his happiness. 

 

_ This day really does suck. _

 

_ “Ok,” _ Lance murmured, and Keith wished he could take everything back and just say yes to hanging out. But he couldn’t, because that would put Lance in harm’s way. 

 

_ Lance I swear I’m doing you a favour. I’m no good. Trouble. You’re better off without me.  _

 

Despite the truth of it, the thought did little to ease the guilt slowly gathering in Keith’s gut. And neither did Lance’s next words.

 

_ “Bye Keith. It was…”  _ he took a deep breath, “ _ it was nice meeting you.”  _ And then the call ended.

 

Keith stared at the screen of his phone unblinkingly. A part of him wanted to hit the redial button. Another part was hoping Lance would call back.

 

But the part that won out was the overwhelming exhaustion, and Keith fell flat on his stomach as he groaned loudly into his pillow. 

 

_ I hate everything right now.  _

 

_ I hate Lotor and his stupid interference. And his stupid nose. Why couldn’t he just tell that Lance is human!? _

 

_ And Lance! Why did you have to say you were the alpha! Lotor has a dangerous mind! You stupid, stupid-!! _

 

He rolled over onto his back, staring up at the ceiling as an odd emptiness carved out his insides.

 

_ And stupid me, for getting Lance’s hopes up. I shouldn’t have gone into that shop. I shouldn’t have flirted.  _

 

_ Ugh! I knew phone calls were a bad idea! _

 

There was a knock on his door then, and when Keith didn’t acknowledge it right away, Shiro poked his head in.

 

“Everything ok? Did you talk to Coran?”

 

Keith replied by slamming his pillow down over his face, and screaming into it.

 

“I’ll take that as a no,” Shiro said, walking the rest of the way into Keith’s room and sitting down on the edge of his bed. “What happened?”

 

Instead of answer, Keith’s phone began to ring. He glanced down at the number, hoping it would look familiar, but the digits were all wrong. 

 

_ It must be Coran. _

 

Shiro was watching him expectantly, but Keith didn’t trust his voice enough to speak just then, much less apologize to a stranger. 

 

He felt bad enough about himself as it was.

 

“Keith-” Shiro began, but must have known better than to push. He sighed, and slowly reached over to take the phone from Keith’s hand. “I’ll answer it, ok? But you still owe this man an apology.”

 

Keith could only nod mutely in return, and rolled back over onto his side as Shiro stood. 

 

“Try and get some sleep, alright?” his brother said, and then his footsteps retreated, back towards the hallway. Keith could hear him answer the phone; his words fading as he closed Keith’s door. “Hello? No, this is Shiro.” A pause, and then: “Yes, I would like to speak with you as well, see-” the rest of his sentence trailed away as Keith pulled his blanket up over his head. 

 

He didn’t want to know what Coran had to say. Not really. Not right now. 

 

To be frank, he could care less in that moment about the Were’s and this new alpha. He didn’t want to think about potentially escaping Lotor’s new rule. 

 

All Keith wanted to do was cry really, but his body lacked the capacity for tears just then, so he settled on closing his eyes and pretending the pain in his side really  _ had _ been from a fall.

 

That he  _ hadn’t _ been brutally attacked by a wolf the size of small bull. 

 

And that he hadn’t just broken his own heart by denying Lance a date. 

 

But try as he might, Keith wasn’t very good at pretending, and the facts remained just that: fact.

 

He sighed, drawing out the exhale until his lungs were burning and his mind was yelling at him to breathe in. 

 

Keith did as his body asked, and slowly felt himself sink into sleep.

 

Not that he was grateful for it. Sleep was only temporary, and when he next awoke, his problems would still be there, waiting for him like a shadow; the darkness overbearing and insufferable. 

 

_ I’m sorry Lance,  _ Keith thought as he felt his eyes close. They would open again, but for once in his life, Keith wasn’t completely comforted by that fact. 

 

_ Where’s that perma-nap when you need it. _

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Lance is sad, Keith is sad, and it's your turn friend. 
> 
> I think it's time we add some angst.


	8. It Gets Worse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance just wants to know why. And wants this day to be over with. Nothing else can go wrong...can it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> watsonthebox here, bringing you another chapter! *cracks knuckles* Get ready for the langst boi

  
He should have known. Lance stared at his phone numbly, gripping it so hard the rhinestones were digging into his palms. Lance should have seen it coming. This shouldn’t have been such a surprise or shocked to him.

 

_But it still hurts._

 

_**“It’s complicated.”** _

 

Lance brow drew together, frown deepening as Keith’s words repeated themselves in his head.

 

_**“The real reason I called..need to talk to Coran”** _

 

Lance laughed bitterly, biting his lip to keep it from quivering.

 

_Of course. Why would he want me? No one ever does. They always want something I have._

 

Lance shoved his phone in his back pocket, the seams popping slightly at the force of it.

 

_But it’s never me._

 

Lance jerked up when a weird ringtone that suspiciously sounded like Thriller filled the café. Lance watched as Coran fumbled around his pockets, patting down his shirt and pants, trying to find his phone. When he finally found it and picked it up, he excused himself from the café and gave Lance a small wave, telling him he would be back shortly.

Lance watched as Coran went out the back exit, letting out a shaky breath as he leaned against the counter, pressing the palms of his hands into his eyes, watching the white dots appears behind his eyelids.

 

_I shouldn’t be surprised, honestly. But why am I?_

 

Everything has been going amazing. Perfect even. When Keith was here, sure they got off to a rocky start, but then Keith joked with him. Even _flirted back._ Not once did Keith try to push him away, tell him to stop and leave him alone.

 

And then they danced. Lance could still feel his body pressed up against Keith’s, feel the warmth and steadiness of it. Could still feel the rough calluses and scars of Keith’s palm pressed against his soft one. He could still feel the dizziness as the dances in circles around the shop, or maybe it was just Keith and his laugh that was right against Lance’s ear. He just seemed so happy to be with Lance.

 

Was he just playing along, giving Lance pity. Did Keith think he was pathetic?

 

Lance felt his ears burn as he remembered the shock he felt when he realized Keith had answered the phone, and not the Shiro guy. Lance was so excited he heaved himself over the counter, knocking over a display of tea and sugar packets that had little pictures of wolfs on them, and he pretty much launched himself at Coran, trying to hear just a second of Keith’s voice over the phone.

 

_Yeah, that’s pretty pathetic._

 

But when Keith called his phone, it was just like how it was when Keith was at the shop. He cracked jokes, even flirted. Lance even got him to _laugh._

And the warmth and happiness that spread throughout his chest and to the tip of his fingers when he made Keith laugh was unlike anything Lance had ever felt before. And Lance knew that he had to see him again, and soon.

He felt so sure, so confident when he asked Keith if he wanted to see him again, if he wanted to hang out, go on a date. And of course Lance was nervous when he asked, but he wasn’t prepared for the sigh and “it’s complicated” as his reply.

 

And then Keith asked for Coran, “ _the real reason he called.”_ And that was just the cherry on top. Another slap in the face. Lance wanted to be angry, to even tell Keith off, to accuse him of leading him on.

But Lance just felt numb. Like someone had just punched him in the gut, giving him that prickling feeling of a thousand tiny needles poking his feet and hands. He was heart broken.

Lance could feel the stinging burn behind his eyes, so he pressed his palms against his eyes harder, too the point where it was almost too painful to bear. But the pain helped. He really didn’t want to cry in the middle of the Full Moon Roast. Didn’t want to cry over a boy he had just met, and had foolishly given his heart to.

 

His mamá always told him that he fell too hard, loved too fast. She said he would just have to wait for someone to catch him before he hit the ground. And for a second, Lance thought Keith caught him. Lance had never felt this way, and as naive as it sounded, thought _this one; this one is special. Don’t let him get away._

 

But then, Keith let him fall. Dropped him even, right on his face.

 

Lance let out a long breath and slowly dropped his hands away from his face. He blinked away the white and reddish spots in his vision, and sluggishly made his way over to the counter, picking up the sugar and tea bags from the floor.

Lance needed a distraction, to get his brain to give a break, some relief for just two seconds, and the task was mundane enough so he could do just that. It was a blessing in disguise really, and Lance could finally focus back on doing his job, trying to erase the day from his memory and pretend the whole thing never happened.

 

And then Coran came back.

 

“Lance my boy, we need to straighten up the shop! We’ve got important company coming!”

Lance perked up at that, thankful for the distraction. Lance chuckled gently and gave Coran a salute.

“Alright Captain Koo-Koo for Cocoa Puffs. I’ll get started right on that! I’ll have Full Moon Roast so clean, you won’t even recognize her! It’ll be a diamond in the rough!”

 

Coran have him a wide grin and heartily patted him on the back, almost knocking Lance over if he didn’t grab hold of the counter to keep his balance.

 

“That’s what I like to hear! I’ll have Hunk prepared some of his finest pastries, and I’ll let Pidge....do what they want!”

 

Coran clapped his hands together before moving to twirl his fingers around one edge of his mustache.

 

“I don’t believe I can’t remember the last time I’ve been this excited for some customers!”

 

Lance fondly shook his head and grabbed a boom from the café’s supply closet, nose scrunching at the faint smell of chemicals.

As he made his way to the open seating area, Lance could feel the stress and (heart) ache slowly begin to fade away, to be pushed into the back of his mind. He can deal with that later, when he was in the safety of his home and could cry to his heart’s content. Maybe he would even drive to his mamá’s so she could hold him like she used to when Lance was little.

Coran’s happiness and excitement was contagious, and Lance could feel a grin creep across his face.

 

“Who’s got you all excited, gingersnap? Should I be worried? Do I need to iron my apron, or comb my ears and tail?”

 

Coran laughed and rolled his eyes, straightening the tables and rearranging the chairs.

 

“It’s that couple that was in here earlier! Surely you remember them! Well, one of them at least. You seemed to be quite friendly with him.”

 

Lance’s breath hitched and he tightly grasped the broom in his hand.

 

_No. There’s no way. It can’t be. Please don’t say who I think you’re going to say. Please don’t-_

 

“It’s that Keith and Shiro fellow! They’ll be here in just a bit, so we really have to, as you kids would say, put the pedal to the metal! Also, I invited a dear friend of mine, almost family, to come and talk to the two as well.”

 

Lance honestly couldn’t even hear the last of Coran’s sentence. He was too focused on keeping his breathing under control. His eyes were shut tightly and blood roared in his ears.

 

_Just when I thought I finally got a break, this shit happens._

 

“Um, Lance? My boy? Are you alright?”

 

Lance startled and quickly turned toward Coran, giving him the best smile he could muster and a thumbs up. He really didn’t trust his voice right now. Lance turned back around and stared blankly at the floor, not paying attention where he swept. He was just getting angry now.

 

_Is it too much to ask for just one break? Just one? This shit show of a day has gone on far enough, and I just want it to be over with._

 

Lance continued to sweep around the shop, muttering under his breath about somehow making a suit out of wolfsbane and cursing mullets while Coran headed toward the kitchen to talk with Hunk.

But Lance couldn’t stay angry; he wasn’t the type to stay angry for a long time, but hurt, yes. He couldn’t really describe what he was feeling exactly. It was like a deep ache that settle in his limbs, and I have weight pressed on top of his chest, making it hard to breath. His eyes stung faintly, the promise of tears if he thought about it too much.

 

Lance grit his teeth and cleared his throat. He needed to focus. He can face his emotions when the time comes.

 

Lance had finished sweeping the floor, wiping down the tables, straightening up the counter, and was about to go to the kitchen to see if Hunk needed help when Coran came practically jumping to the front of the café.

 

“They’re here! A little bit more earlier than I anticipated; my friend has yet to arrive. But no worries! We can drink coffee and chat in the meantime!”

 

Lance just simply nodded, confused as to why Coran knew they were here. He didn’t see them or even hear a car pass by.

As if on cue, Lance heard a car door shut. A second car door quickly followed. Lance braced himself, preparing to face Keith head on.

But when Lance caught a glimpse of a tuff of black hair, a lump formed in the back of his throat, and he felt like he suddenly couldn’t breath.

 

_I can’t do this. I can’t go through this. Not again. I need to get out of here._

 

Lance swallowed around the lump, and headed toward the back exit.

 

“H-Hey Coran, I’m going to go ahead and call it a day.”

Lance hated how his voice cracked.

“I’m not feeling too well.”

 

Lance wasn’t sure if Coran heard him, and didn’t care too much to check. He slipped out of the back exit, not bothering to tell Hunk or Pidge goodbye.

 

The crisp fall air bit at his cheeks and nose, making him flush red. Lance wasn’t too sure if the cool breeze was the cause of his stinging eyes.

The world around him was pretty much dead. There wasn’t any couples or travelers walking down the sidewalks, no kids laughing or yelling. Not even birds chirping or flying around. The only noise to be heard was the wind blowing through the leaves.

Lance was alone with just his thoughts as his company.

Lance let out a broken sigh as his eyes began to sting and water.

 

_At least nobody is here to see me cry. Over a boy. A stupid boy that I just met._

 

Lance felt his nail dig into his palms, no doubt leaving crescent-moon-shaped marks. He let the tears fall down his face, not bothering to wipe them away. They were hot, and they cut through the frigid air, if only for a moment.

Lance was miserable. He was thankful that his apartment was only a few blocks away from the café.

Maybe when he got home, he would fix him a hot supper and call his family, maybe even visit them. That always made him feel better.

 

_I could talk to one of my sisters. They’ll be perfect for boy talk, and they’ll listen to me and give me advice. I wonder if they’ll even let me do a spa treatment with them. I can let them try my new face mask._

 

Lance was so caught up in his thoughts, he didn’t notice a slick black SUV pull up beside him.

 

“Well hello there, pup.”

 

Lance jolted and turned, eyes widening as he saw the familiar silvery hair.

“Lotor..”

 

Lance felt a shiver go up his spine as Lotor grinned at him. Lotor barked at one of his lackeys to stop the car as he got out, walking up to Lance.

Lotor cocked his head to the side and gripping Lance’s chin, lifting his head toward him.

 

“What’s this? Has something upset the poor pup?”

Lotor took a step closer to him.

”Or maybe someone?”

 

Lance slapped his hand away, wiping his face on his forearm.

 

“I’m fine, and it’s none of your business. And stop calling me pup.”

 

Lotor eyes darkened and only widened his smile.

 

“About that, if you recall back at your café, I said that I would play your game.”

 

Lotor suddenly grabbed Lance’s elbow, and Lance couldn’t help but gasp as it felt like claws were digging into his arm. He watched in shock as he felt a warm wetness flow down his arm, onto the sidewalk, and stain his clothes.

 

_That’s my blood,_ his brain supplied.

 

Lance cried out in pain as Lotor dragged him to the SUV, bringing his other hand to clasp over his mouth. Lance tired to pull away, but Lotor’s fingers (claws?) was latched into Lance. He threw him into the back of the car, eyes flashing dangerously.

 

“Now it’s time you play mine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now it’s back to you, Vulpes! Can’t wait how you handle this curveball. ;)


	9. You've just pissed off the wrong werewolf.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The scenarios bubbled up in his head, merging together in some sick rendition of all three that had Keith anxiously glancing over towards the counter, waiting to find out which path would unfold.
> 
> He considered himself to be decently prepared with an encounter with Lance, and was entirely thrown for a loop to find he wasn’t even there.
> 
>  
> 
> _Oh…_
> 
>  
> 
> Keith’s eyes wandered around the shop, hoping now to see even a brief glimpse of the boy, but Lance was nowhere to be seen.
> 
>  
> 
> _Maybe he’s in the back?_
> 
>  
> 
> _Ugh! No, I shouldn’t even care! I told him no. I can’t give him hope where there is none._
> 
>  
> 
> _I can’t give Lotor that kind of ammo. Who knows what that sick fuck would do if he got ahold of Lance._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW. This chapter took me SO LONG  
> mostly because I dug myself a hole in the plot, and spent the entirety of this week trying to fill it in.  
> Alas, I ended up re-writing the last section and praying that it all makes sense.

 

There were times when his eyes would shut, and he would wake up eight or nine hours later with only the memory darkness.

 

No dreaming, no nightmares...just black.

 

Keith welcomed those sleeps, _begged_ for them almost, but as with most things in his life, his wishes went unheard.

 

He wasn’t sure how long he had been out; only that he was grateful when Shiro’s firm grasp shook his shoulder, saving him from the visions that plagued his sleep.

 

Images of stars and the moon, twisted like a toddler’s rendition of space, were burned into the back of his eyelids as he blinked them open.

 

The colour brown, in various smooth shades, holding him safely before shifting to blinding white.

 

White like bleached coffee cups, or the fur of a massive wolf.

 

Or better yet, sharp daggers of jagged teeth as they tore through flesh and found a home in his bones.

 

Keith shivered involuntarily, jolting upright and startling Shiro.

 

“Woah hey,” his brother said calmly, though there was no denying the trace of concern in his tone. “You ok?”

 

Keith felt the bumps along his arms, hair raised pitifully in recollection of what he had seen, and he pulled his blanket in closer to ward off the chill.

 

_It was just a dream…_

 

_Just…_

 

Only, it hadn’t been ‘just’ anything. As bizarre as his brain had interpreted the events from that day, they weren’t things Keith could simply shrug off as nightmares. They were real, in a sense, and would likely haunt his dreams for many nights to come.

 

He wasn’t looking forward to the next time he slept.

 

“Keith?”

 

He pinched his eyes shut, forcing the images from his head as he turned towards his brother.

 

“Yeah, fine. What time is it?”

 

“Nearing seven-thirty,” Shiro replied, and Keith jumped down off the bed in shock.

 

“In the _morning?!_ ” he yelped, chastising himself for sleeping so long. His phone call with Lance had been around three in the afternoon, meaning Keith had slept for a good sixteen hours. “Jesus-”

 

“No,” Shiro chuckled, grabbing hold of Keith’s arm to slow him down. “At night. You just had a nap.”

 

_Oh._

 

_Ok good._

 

The relief didn’t last long however, as memories of his chat with Lance resurfaced. As much as he hated nightmares involving Lotor, having Lance thrown in the mix wasn’t much of an improvement. Pieces of nightmare bubbled to the forefront of his mind; ones involving Lance’s smile dropping at the sight of Keith, and a bitter sadness staining his words when he said his name.

 

_‘Bye Keith. It was nice meeting you.’_

 

Those had been the words Lance had said before hanging up, but in Keith’s dreams, there had been another part, and his heart throbbed as he recalled with chilling clarity the way the sentence had sprung from dream Lance’s lips.

 

_‘Bye Keith. It was nice meeting you….but I wish I hadn’t.’_

 

And then Lance had faded away to moonlight, and Lotor’s wolf form had taken his place, leading to another section of nightmare Keith wanted very much to forget. The pain in his side however, was doing wonders as a reminder.

 

He grimaced as his ribs began throbbing anew, and saw the flash of worry cross Shiro’s face as he watched.

 

“We should really get that checked-”

 

“No.” Keith cut in, swallowing the ache and shaking out his hair. “I’m fine. Any news?”

 

The distraction worked, and Shiro’s switch from concerned older brother to knowledgeable informant was instantaneous.

 

“Yes actually,” he said, handing Keith a clean shirt and guiding him from the room. “Coran wants to meet.”

 

Keith hummed, donning the clothing and ignoring his haggard reflection in the hall mirror as they made their way into the kitchen.

 

Shiro tossed him a banana, which Keith scowled down at before trading it in for a handful of cookies.

 

“When and where?” he asked as Shiro frowned at his meal choice. “It’ll have to be someplace discreet-”

 

“The Full Moon Roast,” Shiro interrupted, and Keith nearly choked as bits of crumbs went down the wrong pipe.

 

“ _NO._ ”

 

Shiro paused, raising an eyebrow slowly as he watched his brother down a glass of water.

 

“No,” Keith said again once his throat was clear. “I can’t-don’t...I’m not going back there. Not yet.”

 

“And why is that?” Shiro asked, leaning over the counter between them. “You were so gung-ho about the place this morning-”

 

“That was before,” Keith muttered, appetite lost as he glared down at his feet. “Now I...I just need time.”

 

“Is this about that boy?”

 

Keith’s silence was answer enough, and he heard Shiro sigh before feeling a hand land lightly on his shoulder.

 

“You…” Shiro started, voice hushed, “you didn’t tell him, did you?”

 

Keith shook his head, knowing full well what Shiro meant.

 

“So he doesn’t know?”

 

Another head shake.

 

_No._

 

“Right, well,” Shiro patted his arm, before putting a finger beneath Keith’s jaw and lifting his face. “I know it’s hard, and it really _sucks_ not being able to tell people who we are. In any other situation I would be encouraging you to talk to this guy. Take him out, show him a good time-”

 

“Shiro,” Keith drawled, but his brother wasn’t finished.

 

“He’s clearly taken your fancy-nope, don’t even try and deny it,” Shiro grinned down at him with a wink. “I can tell when you’re harbouring a crush.”

 

“I’m not!”

 

“And I can tell when you’re lying,” Shiro added, and Keith ducked his head to hide the heat in his cheeks. “But,” Shiro leaned against the counter, facing Keith and folding his arms over his chest. He exhaled deeply through his mouth, voice taking a more serious tone as he went on. “Lotor complicates things. He _always_ does. And this guy, who we _know_ to be human, would be at a huge risk if he were to get involved. Lotor is looking for _any_ excuse to torment you Keith-”

 

“I’m aware,” Keith snarled, immediately regretting the heat in his words. This wasn’t Shiro’s fault. “Sorry, it’s just…” he huffed, tossing his hands in the air as he paced restlessly around the kitchen. “It’s not _fair._ And I hate that I had to be the one to...to stamp out the flame, you know? I really thought that Lance could be different. That he could be...more.”

 

Shiro was quiet for a moment as he watched, his next words drenched in apprehension.

 

“Keith...please say you didn’t-”

 

Keith halted, quickly spinning to face his brother and holding out both arms in front of him as he clued in to Shiro’s connotation.

 

“No! No, no no no. Nothing like that. No.” He brushed the hair from his eyes in nervous habit, fanning his face as it blushed furiously under the implied accusation in Shiro’s tone. That he had...with Lance? He hadn’t even thought about it….and yet…

 

Keith bit the inside of his mouth, focusing on the sharp pain and willing the thoughts away.

 

 _You really have to know if the person is right before even_ considering _such a thing._

 

_I hardly know Lance._

 

_And...and yet-_

 

“I won’t deny that there was... _something_ , between us. Like...a spark or whatever the hell you wanna call it,” Keith admitted, “but I’m not an idiot. I know what _that_ entails.”

 

Shiro hummed as he nodded, still watching Keith with speckled doubt.

 

“Just making sure. You _are_ pretty rash-”

 

“Not with something like that Shiro,” he interrupted. “You know how I feel about-after what mom told me with dad...” He sighed, lifting his gaze to meet Shiro’s. “I know I sleep around a lot, and you don’t approve of the people I take home, but...but _that_ is always something I’ve taken very seriously. Never _once_ have I even considered the mere _thought_ of doing such a thing with _any_ of those guys.”

 

_Until now…_

 

He pushed the thought aside as his brother shut his mouth, seemingly seeing how genuine Keith was being about the matter.

 

“I understand that Keith,” Shiro said after a moment. “I just...had to make sure. You were pretty upset after that phone call. And you’ve only ever gotten that worked up over someone once before. Someone you were considering cl-”

 

“But I didn’t.” Keith cut him off, shoving aside the memories of one his longer relationships. Things had been serious, in their own messed up way, and Keith could admit that he had been tossing the idea around a few weeks before the guy up and left him.

 

_But that felt different._

 

_It wasn’t the same feeling I got with Lance._

 

_So….so maybe-_

 

_No. You already cut things off. Lotor is too much of a threat right now, and he’d kill Lance given the opportunity._

 

_I can’t humour myself with what-ifs._

 

Shiro sighed with a slow nod, pulling Keith out of his melancholy thoughts.

 

“Alright. Just looking out for you is all.” He straightened, ruffling Keith’s hair as he walked passed him towards the front door. “With that settled, let’s go.”

 

“Wait, Shiro even though I didn’t-” he broke off, stopping his mind from envisioning scenarios in which he _had_ done as his brother hinted towards. “I mean, I basically just told him I couldn’t see him. I can’t just _show up_ and pretend he doesn’t exist. I’m not...I can’t-”

 

“Keith, I know that this guy had some sort of impact on you. I get that, I really do,” Shiro approached again, hands in his pockets as he maintained eye contact. “But we have an opportunity to speak with a potential new alpha. Coran didn’t specify much over the phone, but I know for sure that he’s a Were just with the way he was speaking, and dropping not so subtle hints that involved a few too many wolf puns. And he was _very_ interested in meeting us. I just-” he sighed, resting both hands on Keith’s shoulders and staring down into his face with a look of hopefulness that Keith hadn’t seen in what felt like ages. “We have a _chance_ here Keith. A real one. And...I can’t let it slip away. I know it’s difficult but I _need_ you to understand this. Lotor...he’s not a kind person. I’m sick and tired of hearing him threaten us, and you were nearly _killed_ last night over something as trivial as miswording a sentence. I can’t watch something like that happen again Keith. I’m not...without my arm I’m useless! I’m a nothing Were! I can’t-” he broke off, taking a few deep breaths as Keith watched, speechless. And then he was being pulled into a hug, feeling Shiro’s arms wrap around him tightly.

 

“Keith, I can’t protect you from Lotor. But this alpha...he might be able to. I need to take that chance. And I need you there with me.”

 

All Keith could do was nod in reply. Shiro stepped back, expression solid as he grabbed his keys from off the table.

 

“Good. Then let’s go see what this guy’s all about, ok?”

 

* * *

 

 

Though it was only October, once free of the convoluted city and back onto the less populated roads that led out beyond the park, the darkness was quick to descend. Shiro let the radio fill the silence, for which Keith was grateful. Now he had time to gaze forlornly out the window and imagine all the possible scenarios for how his impending meeting with Lance would go.

 

One: Lance would pretend he didn’t exist.

 

This was probably the best way things could go. Ignorance was bliss, right? And having Lance mad at him was painful, yes, but tolerable. And anger was easy to invoke, especially when it came to Keith.

 

So yeah, acting as strangers was preferable.

 

Two: Lance would try and talk to him.

 

Keith, admittedly, favoured this option over the first, simply because hearing the sound of Lance’s voice was a source of calm Keith didn’t know he would react so strongly towards. The shitty part was that Keith wasn’t sure he was strong enough to keep up the facade of disinterest. Hell, he had basically just said things were complicated. That could mean anything!

 

And though he was a fairly decent liar, he wasn’t certain he could do it to Lance’s face.

 

Wasn’t sure he _wanted_ to.

 

Three: Lance would yell at him.

 

Not as great as option two, but communication was better than silence, and Keith felt he deserved to be screamed at. And, all in all, having Lance start a verbal fight would likely be beneficial in the long run; show Lotor or any potential spies in the area that Lance was _one hundred percent_ uninterested.

 

Which would suck for Keith, but hey, this was about Lance’s safety, not his love life, no matter how much Keith wanted to be a part of that.

 

He replayed the scenarios in his head, thinking up different ways to react, wondering if he would be able to go through with any of them when the time came.

 

Lance just had this...effect on him that Keith couldn’t quite explain. And now that Shiro had mentioned... _that_ , Keith couldn’t get the idea out of his head.

 

What if...what if Lance really _was_ someone he needed in his life? He had felt that stirring deep in his being when he first saw the boy, like some sixth sense that he usually blamed his wolfish genes on. And all their interactions from that point on had been...rocky yes, in the beginning, but pure bliss from then on; all the while Keith’s insides had been buzzing with this low intensity that he had originally waved off as nerves.

 

Lack of sleep.

 

Broken ribs.

 

Looming death threats.

 

Not...not _that._

 

And besides, he had known Lance for a grand total of a day, and not even a full one at that. Stolen moments, that was all they had. Yet those minutes spent with Lance out-competed all the years he had spent with the last guy he had thought he’d been in love with.

 

It was a disorientating realization; one that had Keith sinking lower into the seat of the car as they pulled up to the coffee shop, lights still twinkling as the last customers trickled out.

 

_I can’t see him...I can’t-_

 

_Oh my god. Fuck!_

 

“I can’t do this,” he whispered, pushing his seat back to avoid being seen in the window of the shop. “Shiro, I can’t-”

 

A hand landed firmly on his knee, and Keith glanced over at his brother with wide, worried eyes.

 

“Keith, hey, breathe.”

 

He did as he was told, taking shaky mouthfuls of air as Shiro nodded encouragingly.

 

“Good. Keep breathing. You’re gonna be alright.”

 

“Shiro, I don’t think I will! My body feels like it’s about to vibrate out of existence! It’s like the first Change...I have no control and-and I don’t know if I can see him-”

 

“Shh, Keith, it’s fine. It’s just a meeting. Let’s just talk with the alpha and go from there, ok?”

 

_The alpha-_

 

_He thinks I’m worried about Coran?!_

 

Shiro was watching him expectantly, waiting for some sort of acknowledgment, and Keith reluctantly gave it.

 

_I can’t tell him how I feel about Lance._

 

_It’s too dangerous...and if Shiro already thinks I’ve made the cl-_

 

“Let’s do this,” Shiro said to himself, the sound of his door opening startling Keith out of his thoughts.

 

_Enough. I need to do this. For Shiro’s sake._

 

With that in mind, Keith stepped out of the vehicle, turning towards the café with his heart in his throat; choking him with each increasing pulse.

 

The scenarios bubbled up in his head, merging together in some sick rendition of all three that had Keith anxiously glancing over towards the counter, waiting to find out which path would unfold.

 

He considered himself to be decently prepared with an encounter with Lance, and was entirely thrown for a loop to find he wasn’t even there.

 

_Oh…_

 

Keith’s eyes wandered around the shop, hoping now to see even a brief glimpse of the boy, but Lance was nowhere to be seen.

 

_Maybe he’s in the back?_

 

_Ugh! No, I shouldn’t even care! I told him no. I can’t give him hope where there is none._

 

_I can’t give Lotor that kind of ammo. Who knows what that sick fuck would do if he got ahold of Lance._

 

So Keith pushed aside the disappointment growing in his chest in favour of telling himself it was better this way. That Lance’s absence was something to be celebrating.

 

He wasn’t very good at convincing himself.

 

“Oh! Perfect you’re here!” A voice called out from a nearby table, and all at once a tall man, looking to be several years older than Shiro, was approaching hurriedly. Keith couldn’t discern his scent right away, but could tell from Shiro’s twitching nose that their speculations had been correct.

 

This man was a Were.

 

And now it was time to meet the new alpha.

 

“You must be Coran?” Shiro asked, and the man nodded eagerly before strutting right passed them, glancing out the storefront windows before hastily drawing the blinds.

 

He finished by switching off the open sign, then called out to whoever was in the back room clanking around.

 

“Hunk, would you come out for a moment?”

 

The sound of something heavy being dropped, and then a few shuffled steps before a door in the back was swinging open, and a large husky man was standing in the doorway, intimidating as all hell save for the coloured paw prints decorating his apron.

 

“Yeah?” he said, breathless, and his eyes wandered over to Keith and Shiro.

 

“Would be a dear and make us a pot of tea?” Coran asked, and Hunk frowned.

 

“Uh...I can, yeah, but isn’t that Lance’s specialty?”

 

Keith’s vision blurred at the mention of Lance’s name; all of his senses narrowing to a deadly point in hopes of picking up some sort of _sign_ . He could _smell_ Lance...his trace was all over the place, but it was fading.

 

Lance wasn’t there, and Keith was at odds with how he felt about that.

 

“I believe he went home early. Wasn’t feeling well,” Coran supplied, and Hunk’s frown grew concerned as he reached into his pocket to withdraw a cell phone.

 

“Oh, he didn’t mention anything,” he muttered to himself, but Keith heard. “Wonder if he’s alright.”

 

_Wasn’t feeling well…_

 

_Is that because of me?!_

 

Keith wanted to pretend it wasn’t, but that was a selfish wish. He just hoped Lance wasn’t at home crying, as Keith had been doing prior to passing out.

 

_Great. I don’t know which I’m worse at: being a wolf, or being a person._

 

_Somehow the people I care about end up getting hurt either way._

 

“You and Pidge can go home early as well,” Coran went on, and Hunk nodded absently as he went back into the kitchen to make their tea. “Our guest prefers to meet when it’s less public,” the mustached man said as he turned back towards them. “Maintains the safety of the establishment and-”

 

“Wait,” Keith interrupted, thoughts of Lance momentarily dimmed. “Guest? I thought we were just meeting you! The alpha!”

 

“ _Me?!”_ Coran spluttered, hand going to his chest in confusion. “No dear boy, I am not the one who wished to meet you. Or well, I _did_ ...sorry, _do_ , but I am not the one in charge here.”

 

_What..?_

 

“Then who?” Shiro asked, seemingly just as perplexed as Keith with the sudden turn of events. Coran opened his mouth to answer, but the sound of a bell had him turning in the direction of the door, where he beamed widely and gestured for them to look.

 

There, dark skinned and with flowing white hair stunning enough to rival Lotor’s, was a woman. Two small white scars could be seen along her upper cheekbones; trophies from battles won, or else reminders of past defeats.

 

Keith wasn’t sure which one made him more uneasy.

 

The wind shifted, blowing inside as the door slid shut behind her, and Keith was greeted with such an overwhelming scent of Were that he fought the urge to cover his nose. It reeked of sheer power, and had his knees trembling slightly as startling blue eyes traveled over his and Shiro’s forms.

 

And speaking of, Shiro may as well have become a statue. His mouth was hanging open, eyes unblinking as they took in the figure of the woman standing before them.

 

Only, this wasn’t a mere girl. The wasn’t even some random wolf. This was-

 

“Hello there,” she spoke, and Keith was hit with the force of her words like a brick to the face. Not even Zarkon had had such an effect. Such a _presence_. It was terrifying and exciting all at the same time, and his body couldn’t decide if it wanted to drop to the ground in a show of submission or just turn tail and run.

 

So instead he stood there, frozen as the woman approached.

 

“My name is Allura,” she said, and beside him Shiro made a small whine in the back of his throat. “And this is my pack.”

 

Silence, save for the collective pounding in his and Shiro’s chests. It was Coran who broke it, coming along in front of them to take Allura’s coat and pat her arm gently.

 

“How was the journey?” he asked in a hushed tone, but she waved him off.

 

“Currently unimportant. I believe we have guests that I would very much like to speak with.”

 

“Right away my dear,” Coran cheered, bustling over to the table he had been sitting at and pulling out a chair for her. He gestured for Shiro and Keith to do the same.

 

Shiro went eagerly, taking the spot next to Allura and ever so subtly edging his seat closer. She didn’t seem to notice, eyes locked on Keith’s face as he remained rooted in place.

 

“Will you be joining us pup?” she asked, and something inside of Keith snapped.

 

_“Try challenging me now pup.”_

 

_“Your Champion is nothing more than a worm beneath my feet. Best not to take after him pup.”_

 

_“I’m never told no, pup.”_

 

The only ones Keith had ever heard use that term had been Zarkon and Lotor, and Keith felt his muscles twitch in fear as the familiar word sent panic coursing through his veins.

 

“Don’t call me that,” he snarled, feeling the hair along his arms rise, mimicking his wolfish hackles. “Ever.”

 

Shiro looked mortified, and was about to begin profusely apologizing when Allura laughed.

 

“I meant no offense young one,” she said, and something in the way she spoke had Keith believing her. “It’s a term used in my family rather frequently for the youth within our ranks. You’ll have to forgive old habits.”

 

Keith could only stare, and absently in the back of his mind he made a connection between the words ‘family’ and ‘pup’.

 

“Now, please join us pu-um, pardon me...I do not know your name.”

 

Shiro acted quickly, taking the opportunity for a change in subject and latching on with both hands.

 

Or, well, _hand._

 

“I’m Shiro, and this is my brother Keith,” he informed Allura, who tilted her head upon hearing the introductions.

 

“Brother? You are of the same blood?”

 

“Er...well,” Shiro faltered, and Keith filled in the gaps.

 

“No. Shiro took me in after Zarkon killed my mother.”

 

“I see,” Allura nodded, mouth opening to say more when the door in the back swung open, revealing Hunk and a tray of goodies. Her head snapped around to stare at him, then shot to Coran with narrowed eyes. “I was under the impression we were alone.”

 

“Oh! I informed them they could leave early!” Coran jumped up, walking over towards Hunk, who was now watching them all with a very confused expression, and took the tray from his hands. “Very good Hunk my boy, now, if you would please be ever so kind as to leave-”

 

“I still have to clean up the kitchens-”

 

“Don’t worry about it lad,” Coran interrupted. I’ll do it myself. You deserve the break. Now run along!” He made a shooing motion with his free hand, which Hunk blinked down at in bewilderment.

 

“So...just leave? Um, is everything alright-”

 

“Hunk. Go.” Coran’s voice had taken a much deeper, almost menacing tone, and the boy hastily nodded before darting out the back. “And take Pidge with you!” Coran called after him. He returned with the plate of pastries and tea, then waited a good ten minutes to ensure they were alone before motioning for Allura to continue. “My apologies Princess. I was under the impression they had all left for the night. I...admittedly forgot about the tea.”

 

_Princess?_

 

Keith didn’t have much time to ponder the title before Allura was once again turning towards him.

 

“Your mother,” she began slowly, ignoring the cup Coran placed in front of her. “What was her rank?”

 

“Alpha.” The word fell from his lips like a weighted ball, landing heavily on the table between them. Shiro’s hand landed on his shoulder; a reassuring gesture that Keith found himself sinking into.

 

It wasn’t that he had a problem talking about his mother...it was just that he didn’t do it often. Retelling any part of his past that had her in it was a foreign concept, and Keith was sure that the emotions welling up in his stomach were due entirely to lack of communication practice on the subject.

 

“And Zarkon...he challenged her I’m assuming? For the rights of the pack?”

 

Keith nodded, but when it became apparent that his voice would no longer provide the real rendition of his mother’s demise, Shiro stepped in.

 

“It...wasn’t a traditional fight,” he explained softly, and Keith glared down at the table as his brother spoke. “The packs, back when we were young, lived in relative peace with one another. It wasn’t until Zarkon started overthrowing the other alphas that things really took a downwards turn. A lot of them accepted his challenge, but quickly learned of his strength. After that, many of the pack leaders tried to pass on their leadership in the more formal rights of passage; giving up their claims to Zarkon in order to preserve their lives, but Zarkon wouldn’t accept it. It was a sign of weakness in his eyes. And Keith’s mother…” Shiro trailed off, and Keith could feel all three sets of eyes on him. He kept his on the table, willing the memories of that night from his mind.

 

He has been so young, and yet the images were still fresh.

 

His mother pleading, Zarkon’s laughter, and then the sounds of claw tearing into flesh.

 

He shivered involuntarily, and Shiro’s arm moved to wrap around his shoulders.

 

“When Zarkon challenged her for her rights, she gave them up. She loved her pack, and being alpha was a great pride in her eyes, but Keith was worth so much more than all that. She told Zarkon to spare her, mark her as a submissive if need be, and take the title of alpha in order to keep Keith safe. He was still a child. But...Zarkon didn’t care. He ordered she accept the challenge, that it was her duty. But her decision was within the boundaries of the laws, so she refused. He-”

 

Shiro broke off with a sigh, and in the silence that stretched out during that time, Keith finished the story.

 

“He killed her. Then and there. Transformed into a wolf and slit her throat.” His voice was barely a whisper, but he knew the others would hear. He didn’t have it in him to speak the next words any louder. “She didn’t even have time to Change.”

 

Shiro’s grip tightened, and Keith allowed himself to lean heavier into his side.

 

It went against every code. Weres were not permitted to kill humans, full-blooded or not, at least, not the innocent ones. Not after the new laws had been implemented. Now only rapists and murderers and the sort of scum that lingered on the edge of society were all considered fair game. 

 

One rule that had never changed, however, was that a challenge could only be legitimate if the other Were agreed, and if the fight was done in Were form.

 

Otherwise it was murder.

 

_But that was Zarkon’s specialty._

 

“Keith, I’m...so sorry,” Allura’s voice was soft as she spoke, and she reached across the table to pat his hand hesitantly. Keith allowed it, if only because he could sense her words were genuine. Not that he was one for pity, but right then he didn’t feel like brushing it away.

 

“Zarkon is a horrible creature,” she went on. “He’s done things to my family that are unforgivable. Tore us apart from the inside out, like a disease. When I heard he had been defeated I was almost too frightened to allow myself to believe it. And then I received the letter-”

 

“Wait, hold on,” Keith interrupted, ignoring the look Coran shot his way. “When you _heard_ about Zarkon’s defeat? You weren’t the one to kill him?”

 

Shiro, who had looked ready to slam a hand over his brother’s mouth and allow Allura to continue, froze; the realization of what Keith was saying causing his head to whip around and face the woman at the head of the table.

 

“You weren’t the one to kill Zarkon?”

 

Coran stood abruptly, eyebrows lowered dangerously as he pointed a finger at Shiro accusingly.

 

“Why would she kill her un-”

 

“Hush Coran,” Allura held up a hand, and the man fell silent. “Sit.”

 

He did as he was asked, and Keith tried not to be reminded of a dog obeying his master’s orders. It was simply a coincidence. Another wolfish pun.

 

She turned to them again, inhaling deeply as she finally picked up the tea Coran had poured at the start of their meeting.

 

“I was not the one to defeat Zarkon, no. There have been many times when I wished it, especially after what he did to my father-” she broke off, shaking her head as if to clear it of unfavourable memories. Keith could relate. “But alas, it was not I who challenged him.”

 

There was a beat of silence in which both Keith and Shiro stared numbly at the table, pastries left untouched before them.

 

“This was part of the reason we wished to meet with you,” Coran supplied, and Shiro raised his head to meet his eyes. “We wanted to know if you had any information on who did it-”

 

“Coran, we _know_ who did it,” Allura cut in, placing two fingers to her temples and squeezing, as if to ward off a headache. “And we know it wasn’t a proper challenge. Zarkon was poisoned.”

 

_What!?_

 

Keith was at a loss of words. He and Shiro exchanged worried looks, and even Coran was sporting an expression of disbelief.

 

“Princess...how do you know?”

 

Allura sighed, making to stand as she began pacing around the shop.

 

“The letter I received...his passing was not Were caused. At least, not in the sense that it involved tooth and claw. It is believed that Zarkon was poisoned with a mixture of colloidal silver and monkshood. The letter also mentioned that Lotor had been keeping everyone away from his father’s chambers after the ‘attack’, to ward off suspicion apparently. My sources say that following his death, Zarkon’s remains were immediately burned to discard any evidence.”

 

“So he really _is_ dead,” Shiro mumbled, eyes blown wide with disbelief.

 

“And who sent this letter?” Coran asked, clearly disturbed by this new information. “How do you know it is legitimate?”

 

Allura shook her head.

 

“It was from an anonymous sender, but someone I have reason to hope is still loyal to the Pure bloodlines.”

 

“H-how?!”

 

“The last line on the letter read: _for Alfor, and those who shared the same fate.”_

 

_Alfor?_

 

But Keith was apparently the only one who didn’t recognize the name. Both Shiro and Coran were staring unblinkingly at Allura as she turned away from the table.

 

“It’s been ten years since I’ve been back to this city,” she explained; hands clasped behind her back as she paced. “I fled after what happened to my father...it was not as gruesome as with you mother Keith,” she said, turning to him with a sad frown. “But it was terrible to witness nonetheless. They were _blood_ _!_   What Zarkon did was _unforgivable!_ But I wasn’t strong enough to fight him and-” she broke off suddenly, hiding her face as her voice faltered. Shiro was up in an instant, moving to her side and offering her a shoulder to lean on. Allura didn’t take it, but the smile she sent him held her thanks.  

 

“I’m fine,” she mumbled, and sat back down at the table; Shiro keeping a watchful eye on her as she did.

 

“With Coran’s help I fled,” she went on. “And we continued to flee, up until several months ago, when word of Zarkon’s antics reached our ears. His methods had grown too dangerous, too risky. And his pack was unruly. As part of one of the older Pure bloodlines, I was bound to do something. Facing Zarkon was my duty.” She took a moment to sip her tea, making a disgusted face down at the now cold liquid, and placing the cup as far from herself as possible. “But I still wasn’t strong enough. Zarkon, himself being of the Pure bloodlines, was far my superior. So I sent Coran here to try and scope out the scene, see what he could discern from the rumours, and perhaps find a way to help those under his control.”

 

“I bought the rights to this shop from the mundane owners!” Coran supplied cheerfully, and Allura sent him a small nod.

 

“But...how did you remain hidden?” Shiro asked, but Keith already had an idea. The scent of it still hung heavy in the air around them, despite the tables having been cleared.

 

“The wolfsbane,” he murmured at the same time Coran said: “Aconitum!”

 

He broke off, glancing over at Keith with a quick wink.

 

“Right you are lad. Deadly stuff yes, and it took some time to adjust to the smell, but it does wonders for Were scent. Hid me rather effectively whenever Zarkon’s pack came sniffing, pardon the pun.”

 

“Ok but,” Shiro went on, his confusion still evident as he directed his next question to Allura. “How do you _know_ Zarkon was poisoned? Even with the letter, everyone in his pack was under the assumption that he had been injured in a scuffle with another alpha.”

 

Allura’s eyes were unrelenting as they held Shiro’s.

 

“And who told you that.”

 

It wasn’t a question. It was a statement; one that had Shiro leaning back in his chair with a muffled groan as he connected the dots.

 

“Lotor,” he hissed, and Keith’s eyes widened as he too realized the extent of what Allura was saying.

 

She nodded. “I came as soon as I received the letter. Zarkon’s demise felt random, and had it been an alpha that took him down, wouldn’t they have claimed the rights to the pack? Especially one as large as Zarkon’s?”

 

“But...if it _was_ Lotor, he would have claimed-”

 

“And admit that it was him to kill his father?” Allura cut Shiro off, brow raised questioningly. “That goes against the code. Killing same blood is a violation of the laws, no matter what rank. And if Zarkon was poisoned, then it can be assumed that Lotor never invoked an official challenge.”

 

“Though I’m not overly upset with Zarkon’s absence from this Earth,” Coran added, “I have to admit that killing same blood is...well, it’s unforgivable.”

 

“And yet it’s exactly what Zarkon did when he killed my father. Must run in the family,” Allura spat out bitterly, and Coran frowned sadly as he watched her shoulders sag. The moment didn’t last long though, and soon Allura’s fierce gaze was once again directed at Keith and Shiro.

 

“You two were part of Zarkon’s pack. What happened the night he died?”

 

“You mean last night?” Shiro asked, and Allura’s eyebrows shot high up on her forehead.

 

“Last _night?_ That cannot be! Zarkon, according to my source, passed on nearly a week ago!”

 

Keith and Shiro exchanged confused looks.

 

“Um, no...pretty sure I was beaten to a pulp last night after questioning Lotor on his claim,” Keith said unenthusiastically, his side still sore from the encounter.

 

_Hasn’t even been twenty-four hours yet._

 

“His _claim?!_ ” Allura practically shouted, turning to Coran for answers. But the mustached Were was just as perplexed. “So he _did_ try! Tell me what happened,” Allura demanded, and Shiro visibly gulped at the tone in her voice; the power of it. “Now.”

 

He did as she asked, informing the two newcomers of how Lotor had summoned them all, informed them of Zarkon’s passing, and made an attempt to claim the rights to the pack using bloodlines. He told them about Keith stepping up, members fleeing as they listened to the argument, and then the ensuing fight.

 

Allura’s eyes wandered over to Keith as Shiro finished, and he raised his gaze to meet hers.

 

“You...thwarted Lotor’s plans.”

 

He nodded, thinking back to how shocked Lotor had been when he had mentioned the laws.

 

“You disbanded Zarkon’s pack.”

 

“I-” but Keith broke off, realizing that..yeah, he sort of did. Allura’s eyes flickered over to Coran, who was looking very much impressed with Keith suddenly, though he wasn’t quite sure why. All he had done was re-iterate some old rules; remind Lotor that they were all bound by the same ones.

 

And sure, maybe it wasn’t common for Were’s to know the codes as well as Keith did, but he had made sure to memorize them all after his mother had been killed, both the old and the new, in order to prevent such a thing from happening ever again.

 

He didn’t feel as if the effort in learning them all had been much worth it though, considering Shiro’s lack of an arm and gruesome scar across his nose, as well as their newfound membership in Lotor’s pack.

 

_They’re just dumb rules...and I happen to know them all._

 

_There’s nothing special about that...is there?_

 

“Ok so,” Shiro said suddenly, pinching the bridge of his nose as he thought. “You’re saying Ketih, my little brother, trouble maker extraordinaire-”

 

“Hey!”

 

“-managed to disband the largest pack in the history of Weredom,” Shiro went on, ignoring Keith’s protest, “from passing to the next biggest psychopath, just by reminding him of a few simple rules?”

 

There was silence as Allura nodded; Coran’s lips twisting up into a grin as he beheld Keith in a new light.

 

_What…?_

 

Keith was stunned, the sound of Shiro’s abrupt laughter making him jump as his brother ruffled his hair affectionately.

 

“ _Typical!”_ he guffawed, but Keith couldn’t partake in the mood. Even if he had been the reason being Zarkon’s pack dispersing, they were still at the mercy of Lotor.

 

He and Shiro were still no better off.

 

He said as much.

 

“It doesn’t matter! What we need to figure out is what Lotor is planning now! Why did he wait a week to tell us about Zarkon? Why did he challenge me when we were leaving! How do we get _out of his pack!?”_

 

Shiro’s chuckles cut short.

 

“Right,” he huffed out, then turned to Allura. “Your letter didn’t happen to mention anything about Lotor’s intentions, did it?”

 

“Aside from claiming the right to alpha? No. As for waiting a week...that could simply be him ensuring that the details had been dealt with. Had Zarkon been poisoned, the traces of silver would remain in his system for some time following his death. Perhaps with Weres it lasts longer? Even following cremation? I would need to look into it…” she shrugged. “As for challenging you, I believe that is entirely a matter of pride. I’ve known Lotor for quite some time, and if there’s one thing that can be said about his personality, it’s that he doesn’t enjoy losing. Particularly over something as trivial as rules.”

 

Keith was shaking his head, anger boiling in his gut as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

 

“Fucking super. So Lotor has me and Shiro in the palm of his hand and there’s nothing we can do about it?”

 

Allura’s face changed, turning from a calculated calm to something more intense; her lips curling up slightly as her brows lowered over blue eyes.

 

“I never said that.”

 

_Hold up…_

 

_You mean-_

 

“You would challenge him?” Shiro said before Keith got the chance. “You would challenge Lotor for the rights of the pack?”

 

“But Princess!” Coran jutt in. “You cannot challenge blood!”

 

That was the final piece Keith needed. Ever since Allura first walked into the shop, he had this nagging feeling that something was off. That something was...familiar.

 

“You’re related to Lotor. Aren’t you.”

 

Her eyes darted up to his face, and Keith held her gaze, even as she nodded slowly.

 

_Holy shit-_

 

“Wait...what?” Shiro asked, and she turned her attention to him with an exhale.

 

“I...may have some relation to him and...Zarkon.”

 

“What the _fuck?!_ ” Keith exclaimed, no longer able to withhold his temper. “You’re shitting me. You’re _related_ to those _bastards?_!”

 

“ _Keith-”_ Shiro began, but broke off as Coran spoke up.

 

“Enough! This bickering won’t do!” He stood, coming around to where Keith was standing in order to face him directly. “You, young man, will learn to control that language around the Princess. I will not have it-”

 

Keith threw his hands up, cutting off the man.

 

“You keep saying that! _Princess._ ” He turned to Allura, who stood as well in order to meet his glare. “Who are you. Why are you here, and what is your relation to Zarkon.” Something in his back pocket began vibrating, his phone he assumed, but he ignored whatever notification was coming through as Allura inhaled deeply.

 

“I told you I was of the old bloodlines-”

 

“Yeah, you mentioned that,” Keith admitted gruffly. “What does that mean.”

 

Allura rolled her eyes in annoyance, crossing her arms over her chest as she blew hair out of her face.

 

“For someone who apparently knows so much of the laws, you aren’t very informed about Were culture. When was the last time you took a history class?”

 

_Grade seven probably. So what._

 

Shiro stood then, moving to Keith’s side and forcing him to look at him as he spoke.

 

“Keith, the old bloodlines, the Pure, they’re Were royalty.” He turned to Allura then, bowing his head slightly, either subconsciously or not, as he met her eyes. “Your father was King Alfor, wasn’t he.”

 

Allura’s mouth opened and closed, before she settled on a stiff nod. Shiro threw his hands over his face, groaning spectacularly as he spun in a slow circle.  

 

“Oh my god...this whole time, we’ve been in the presence, not only of a Pure, but of the daughter of King Alfor himself!” He dropped to his knees then, keeping his gaze lowered as he made himself as small as possible in front of Allura. “Please, forgive our disrespect.”

 

_Shiro what the fuck-_

 

“No, please,” Allura bent, placing both hands to Shiro’s arms and lifting him up. “None of that now. I am the daughter of Alfor, and Zarkon…” she trailed off, heaving a breath before steeling herself and continuing. “Zarkon was my uncle.”

 

_Oh for fucks sake._

 

“So Lotor is your cousin. Just _super!”_ Keith ran his hands through his hair, pulling hard and focusing on the pain.

 

_Blood can’t defeat blood._

 

_Allura...can’t help us._

 

“If you would just listen-” Allura tried, but Keith’s breathing was becoming laboured.

 

“What was the point of you coming here! To _congratulate_ Lotor on his new position?!”

 

“Keith, she already told us-”

 

“It doesn’t matter anyway!” Keith cut his brother off, his phone vibrating once again. “The job is done. Zarkon’s pack is gone, and Lotor still has us in the palm of his hand. _She_ -” he pointed savagely in the direction of Allura- “can’t do _shit_ to help us!”

 

“Keith enough-” Shiro began, but all at once the air inside the cozy café was too heavy; like a thick fog was descending and making every breath feel as though he were inhaling pea soup.

 

_What a joke._

 

_I got my fucking hopes up over this new alpha...and she’s fucking related to the monster I wanted vanquished!_

 

_Why is my life such garbage!_

 

He had to get out, and the next thing Keith knew, he was barging through the front door of the shop and drinking in mouthfuls of cool autumn breeze.

 

It was dark out, which was to be expected given the time of night. The sky, however, must have been thick with clouds, seeing as the moon, though not full, should have been providing _some_ light. Not that it mattered. Keith’s vision adjusted easily enough, and he leaned against the side of the building, willing the shaking in his limbs to ease.

 

_Every time I think I can catch a break-_

 

His phone vibrated loudly, the feeling amplified now that it was being pressed up against something. Keith huffed, reaching into his back pocket and squinting at the sudden brightness of his screen.

 

Three new text messages had been sent by an unsaved number, but one he recognized right away.

 

_Lance!_

 

The jump in Keith’s chest was indecipherable. He wasn’t sure if it was from excitement, relief, or anticipation as he slid his phone open to read what the boy had sent him.

 

And where his heart had been soaring mere seconds before, the plummet it underwent as his eyes scanned over the words had him sinking to the ground as his knees gave out.

 

**_21:15- My oh my, look who we have here. This is all too perfect._ **

**_21:17- And here I thought my fun couldn’t get any better!_ **

**_21:20- Better hurry up Keith. Lost pups don’t do so well on their own._ **

 

_LOTOR!_

 

Keith barely heard the sound of the door as it opened, revealing Shiro and a very angry expression. It dropped off as soon as he saw Keith visibly shaking on the ground however, and his eyes scanned over the screen of Keith’s phone briefly before flicking to his face.

 

“Keith, what happened-”

 

Keith felt his phone drop, and found himself up on his feet and tearing down the road towards the park, not knowing where he was going, only that Lance was in danger.

 

“KEITH!” Shiro called after him, but he didn’t look back. There was no time to explain. Who knew how long Lance had been in Lotor’s clutches!

 

_And I was wasting my time arguing over such stupid fucking things!_

 

_Lance-Oh my god Lance! This is all my fault!_

 

His vision was growing blurry, either from tears or the wind blowing relentlessly in his eyes as he sprinted down the path towards the park, hoping for some sign...some scent! _Anything_ that would give him an idea as to where Lance was.

 

_Lance, I’m going to find you I swear._

 

 _I’ll be the one to save_ you _this time._

 

He just hoped he wasn’t too late.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you find a plot hole, or if something is confusing, please send me a note! I'll either explain it or fix it.
> 
> Also its time for some LANGST! Idk what wats has in store but...I'm excited. Keithy boy to the rescue! Time to see how much Lotor played with his new toy!


	10. Baby Got Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance wakes up in a strang place.  
> ...Where the hell is he?  
> And why does he hurt everywhere?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***Slight t/w***  
> This chapter has mild torture and brief discussions of blood!

The first thing Lance was aware of when he regained consciousness was _pain_.

His head was pounding, as if he had been hit over the head with a sledgehammer. He was laying on his side, head pressed against a cold floor, which really didn’t help his headache.

And his back was on burning, like someone had set his skin on fire.

His shirt cling to his back, and it was tacky and sticky. It might just be wishful thinking, but Lance really hoped that was just sweat sticking all over his skin. But the distinct, sickly sweet smell of copper was unmistakable.

His hands were also tied together behind his back, making his hands dig into his back, making the pain even worse.

Lance couldn’t help but gag. The stench and pain was unbearable, his senses were overloaded.

Using a great amount of energy and sheer willpower just to open his eyes.

 

_Where....where am I?_

 

He was met with a dimly lit room, which he was thankful for; he didn’t think his head could take any bright light.

He appeared to be in some type of an abandoned building. There wasn’t anyone in here with him.

Lance wriggled his wrists to see how tight the rope was. The rope didn’t budge, only rubbing his wrists raw.

 

_Okay, yeah, that’s pretty fucking tight. What the hell is this place?_

 

Lance slowly raised up, not able to hold back a cry of pain. By the time he was finally in a sitting position, he was sweating bullets, heaving ragged gasps as tears were steaming down his face, eyes shut tightly and brow furrowed.

When he finally got his breathing under control, and the pain was slightly bearable, he pried his eyes open.

As he let his eyes adjust to the dimly lit building, he realized he was in some type of warehouse. It seemed like it had abandoned for a long time.

There were cobwebs all over the ceiling, and the air smelled stale, like death and emptiness.

The roof was leaking in several places, water dripping on the hard cement floor, making little splashes that seemed amplified in the quiet.

There was dust covering all over the floor, except for a small corner of the warehouse that was stained with a reddish brown color, which realised with a sinking feeling that it was more than likely dried blood.

 

And... _is that a piece of paper?_

 

Before Lance could even attempted to wiggle worm himself toward the paper, the front door of the door flew wide open, slamming against the wall with a boom that sliced through Lance’s head, making him wince and groan as the pain only grew.

Lance shut his eyes, deeply breathing through his nose to keep the nausea down.

 

“Ah you’re awake, my pet! I was afraid I played with you a bit too roughly. I sent my companions away. I wanted it to be just you and I here together.”

 

Lance froze and turned rigid at the voice.

 

_Lotor...that’s right._

 

Lance’s temple throbbed as the memory came back to him.

_I was walking home from the café when he pulled up. He grabbed me before I could even scream and threw me into that car. And I’m pretty sure they hit me in the head._

Lance moaned as a sharp stab of pain spread through his head. He could feel warm liquid slowly roll down his temple and jaw, occasionally dripping onto the floor.

_Yep. Definitely hit me across the head. Keith was right when he said Lotor was not good._

Lance chest and heart clenched.

_Keith..._

His stomach churned and his eyes burned and watered, just thinking about him.

 

“Now, now. Don’t cry, my pet.”

Lotor approached Lance, gripping his chin in one hand, letting his fingers dig into the bruised flesh.

Lance clenched his teeth to hold in the gasp of pain that threatened to escape.

“All this pain will stop if you just tell me what I want to know, and do as I say.”

 

Lance barked out a cold laugh.

 

“Right. I completely believe that. I’m sure you track record is spotless. Should I start call you Sir Mix-a-Lot because you cannot lie?”

Lance rolled his eyes. He knew he was in serious trouble, but this was his coping mechanism.

He was nearly on the verge of babbling.

 

“And besides, what do _you_ want from _me_?“

The sinister smile on Lotor’s face was honestly one of the most, if not the most terrifying thing he ever seen. It was definitely at least top three on the list (he still had nightmares about the Human Centipede).

 

“I’m thrilled that you asked.”

Lotor crouched down, bringing his face closer the Lance’s. Lance could feel his hot breath fanning against his cheeks.

“I need you to answer a few questions. And maybe I’ll consider having mercy on you. Now tell me. Where is the alpha?”

 

_...the what_?

That wasn’t what he was expecting.

 

“Uh, can you run that by me one more time? I’m pretty sure dried blood has clogged my ears.”

Lance cried out in pain as Lotor’s nails digged harder into him, breaking the skin and causing even more blood to roll down his neck.

“Where is the alpha, and don’t make me ask again.”

Lance stilled look at him, confused as all hell.

“I’m sorry, but I have no idea what you’re talking about. Alpha? What are you, some kind of wolf pack?”

 

Lance joked, rolling his eyes. But fear slowly creeped into him when Lotor began to chuckle, deep in the back of his throat. Lance watched with shocked, wide eyes as Lotor’s nails began to form into jagged claws.

 

_This is not happening. This isn’t real. This is just a bad dream. Probably caused from eating too much sugar and caffeine._

 

He met Lance’s gaze, eyes dark and cold. “You should watch that mouth of yours, pet. It’ll get you in trouble.”

Lotor paused, taking in Lance’s appearance.

“In fact, it already has. And the troubles not over yet.”

 

Lance went air born for what felt like eternity, and his shredded back hit a wall, knocking the wind right out of his lungs.

Lance wasn’t sure what sound came out of his throat; his earring were ringing, and his vision had turned blinding white.

Lance slowly rolled into his side, retching onto the floor, the stench making him gag even more.

Lotor had luckily thrown him to the corner that had old, dried blood. He had landed right beside the paper, realizing it was a note of some sort. It was halfway folded, so Lance could only read half of what it said.

 

**_P.S. There’s a first aid kit in the box to your right. I put it in there so you wouldn’t crush it with your fatty wolf weight, which, by the way, nearly put my back out._ **

**_You owe me big time._ **

 

Lance couldn’t decipher what “fatty wolf weight” meant, or who the note was for.

All he could comprehend was the pain he was in. He never knew his whole body could hurt all at once, and yet here he was. Fetal position and all. He would’ve laughed at himself if he weren’t, you know, in excruciating pain.

 

He vaguely heard Lotor approach him, but didn’t move. He couldn’t.

He groaned weakly as Lotor dragged him by the collar of his shirt, and leaned him against the wall.

Lance should’ve been concerned about the trail of blood he left, but his mind had become fuzzy.

 

“You’ve brought this upon yourself. Now, I’m going to ask one more time. Where is the alpha?”

Lance scrunched his eyes, trying to regain his breath.

“I’m saying for the last time. I don’t know. I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”

 

Lance was answered with silence. Lance opened his eyes, and was met with a frown. The only sound was Lance labored breathing and the leaking ceiling. Lance cleared his throat.

 

“So..now what? I don’t have what you want obviously.”

Lotor’s eyes flashed and gave him another smile.

“Oh, you couldn’t be even more wrong, my pet. You may not have the information I wanted, but that doesn’t mean I’m finished with you.”

Lance tried to mask his fear by giving Lotor a hard look, lips pressed into a thin line.

“And what could you possible want?”

“You.”

Lance couldn’t hide the fear this time. A shiver ran down his shine, and he felt his heart drop into his stomach.

“You’ll become my pet, a toy if you will. It will be so much fun to play with you. You have beautiful eyes and skin. You look absolutely delectable.”

Lotor ran his fingers down Lance’s cheek, he jerked away and barred his teeth.

Lotor just chuckled in amusement.

“And feisty. But I’m not the best at sharing, I’m afraid. Keith would’ve enjoyed toying with you.”

Lance couldn’t help but tense at the mention of Keith’s name, and it didn’t go unnoticed by Lotor.

 

“Ah, what’s this? Could you possibly...developed _feelings_ for the pup?”

 

Lane turned his head away, refusing to look at him.

Lotor’s laughter bellowed throughout the building, echoing off the walls and ceiling.

It sounded demonic.

“You have! Oh this is quite rich. I had my theories, of course. You took quite a liking to him when I was at that café of yours. You pulling him in to dance with him, interuppting our conversation.”

Lotor turned to his, head cocked to the side with a demeaning smirk.

“Come to think of it, Keith was awfully protective of you. He tried to hide you when I first walked in. He even kept glancing back and forth between you and I. Could he perhaps return this feelings?”

 

Lance didn’t hesitate vigorously shaking his head.

 

“There’s no way. He doesn’t like me. He doesn’t feel that way about me.”

Lance eyes burned, and he cursed himself as his vision turned blurry.

“Nobody does.”

He hated how his voice cracked and wobbled.

Lotor, however, was intrigued, curiosity brimming over.

“What’s this? Do I sense self-loathing? Nobody has ever loved you? Surely you must have a reason for this.”

Lotor edged closer. Lance didn’t even bother to try to move away.

“Do tell. I’m curious now.”

Lance shrugged, leaning his head against the wall, eyes starring at the ceiling, not bothering to hide or wipe the tears that streamed down his face.

 

_I’m pretty much dead anyway. Might as well tell him. Who know, maybe he’ll feel so sorry for me he’ll let me go._

 

He knew that it was just wishful thinking, but what other option did he have? He couldn’t fight against him. Lance cleared his throat.

“I guess it started back in kindergarten. I was coloring this awesome rocket ship that had sharks all over it when this one girl walked up to me and told me she loved me. She asked if I could be her boyfriend, and I said yes. I was so excited. I couldn’t wait to tell my mama about her.”

Lance turned his gaze to his hands, which were covered with blood.

_Yours_ , his brain supplied.

“But then she started laughing and walked back to her friends, who were pointing and laughing at me. Turns out it was just a dare. And I fell for it.”

 

Lance pulled at a loose thread on his pants, trying to keep his voice steady.

 

“The next time was in middle school. There was this boy, and we became really close. We were best friends. He accepted me for who I was, and he was so nice and kind. It wasn’t hard to like him. So you could probably imagine how happy I was when he sat beside me one day for lunch, and held my hand. He told me right there, in front of everyone, that he loved me. Before I could even say ‘I love you too,’ he jerked his hand away and started laughing. He told me ‘you would fall for anything, wouldn’t you Lance?’”

Lance’s jaw clenched, and bitterness seeped his tone, coating his words.

“And then it became a game. People would get close to me, just to see if they were able to get me to like them. It wasn’t hard. But it hurt every single time. But then my mama told me to lock my heart away, keep it hidden until somebody who truly loved me came along.”

 

Lance shrugged again; he felt heavy, all of him, like he was Atlas and was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

“So that’s what I did. I became a flirt, so if anybody was or wasn’t interested in me, I would know right away. Nobody would be able to hurt me, not again.”

 

Lotor just hummed, slightly nodding his head.

“I see. And Keith is just the same.”

 

But Lance shook his head.

 

“No. Keith is..he’s different. I can’t explain it, but he’s not like the others.”

 

And Lance genuinely couldn’t explain it. Sure he had crushes on many people in the past, but none of them had ever made him feel like he did when he was with Keith.

It was as if his skin was humming, like electricity was flowing through his veins.

At first, he thought it was the caffeine or all of the pastries he ate, but deep down he knew it wasn’t.

It was because of Keith. And he couldn’t describe it.

He just knew that he wanted to be around, just get to know him. He was willing to through caution in the wind and do anything to be with Keith, even if he just wanted to be friends. It would be difficult, yeah. But Lance just wanted to be with him.

Lotor scoffed, rolling his eyes.

“The pup? Different? He isn’t worth your time. There is nothing special about him. He’s just as weak as his mother. Don’t even humor the thought of Keith being capable of loving. It’s quite ridiculous in all honesty. He’ll end up hurting you, just like all the others. As I stated before, he isn’t worth your time. Or pain.”

 

Lance fumed. Gone was the tears and fear. He saw red and snarled at Lotor, who was slightly caught off guard by Lance’s actions and sudden mood change.

“I’ve always been hurt by the idea of love. You would think I would have grown numb to it by now, but no. I’ve just grown used to it. I know that love brings pain, and I accept that. I know pain. But I don’t know love. But if I were ever given the chance to be loved, I would take it all. All the pain you could throw my way, because it’s worth it. He is worth it.”

Lance rose to his feet on shaky legs, taking wobbly steps toward Lotor, who watching in amusement. It made Lance even more livid.

“Don’t you ever tell me Keith isn’t capable of love. Don’t you dare. He is loved and can show love. If you ever tell me or anyone else otherwise, I’ll kill you myself.”

 

Lotor laughed aloud, throwing his head back.

“You are a feisty little thing, aren’t you pet?”

 

Lance suddenly felt a hand wrap around his throat, pushing him against the wall and lifting him up.

His feet dangled, and black spots dotted all across his vision.

 

“But you just threatened the life of an alpha, which is breaking one of the most sacred rules of our laws. And if this rule is broken, the punishment?”

Lance tried to helplessly gasp as the grip around his throat tightened. His limbs were beginning to go numb.

“Death.”

Lance mentally said goodbye to his family, apologizing that he wouldn’t get to see them one last time.

He apologized to Keith.

Hoped that he would be okay and safe from Lotor.

 

Lance closed his eyes and waited for the blow.

But it never came.

 

The door of the warehouse swung open, startling both Lance and Lotor, causing them to whip their heads around toward the door.

“Who’s there?!” Lotor demanded.

Lance watched with wide eyes.

 

_There’s no way..._

Lance slowly smiled as recognition set in.

_I’d recognize that mullet anywhere._

 

  
“Keith.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is gonna be gooooood!!  
> Fuck ‘em up Vulpey!!


	11. So That Just Happened...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For several seconds there was nothing, and Keith feared that the claim had not worked. But then all at once, something pounded once inside him, louder than any heartbeat and infinitely more powerful. 
> 
> Energy coursed through Keith’s veins; pure and rich and exhilarating! His eyes shot open, the adrenaline filling his body enough to make him forget the pain it housed. Lance seemed to be experiencing something similar, and was clutching his chest with a startled gasp. Blue eyes met indigo from across the room, and then something sharp and insistent was pulling Keith forward; urging him towards Lance.
> 
> His body was hyperaware of his surroundings. Eyesight crisper than ever, ears more in tune with each miniscule sound, and sense of smell going overboard with sensation!
> 
> But it was all focused on Lance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HERE WE GO!
> 
> The final chapter (before the epilogue that is)
> 
> It's been fun guys :)

Maybe it was the because the wind was just right.

 

Maybe it was Keith’s senses: enhanced from panic and fear. 

 

Or maybe, quite possibly, it was the fact that a faint trace of coffee bean and lemon pledge was  _ just _ detectable on the breeze; one that had his heart pounding for multiple reasons. Keith followed it without hesitation.

 

_ It has to be Lance. _

 

_ It just has to be. _

 

The scent grew stronger, and with it Keith’s hopes, until the discernable odour of blood began to merge with the lighter aromas. 

 

_ No….NO! _

 

Keith cursed as he sprinted after the smell, running alongside the road that lead into the park. 

 

_ If Lotor has him...I can’t-I need to get to Lance! _

 

He was about to give in and Change when he heard it: a muffled scream coming from a densely forested area to his right. He halted, willing the pounding in his chest to seize so he could better hear. 

 

_ It sounded like- _

 

_ No. Don’t even think it. _

 

But it was hard to deny the masculine undertones the yelp had held. On instinct, Keith turned toward where is had originated, grateful for his enhanced eyesight as the trees grew thicker. He had no idea where he was; didn’t have his phone with him to call for help. Hell, he was still sporting broken ribs and a badly bruised body from the night before! He would be useless should he be forced to contend against Lotor’s loyal troupe. 

 

Despite all this however, Keith didn’t care in the slightest.

 

The thought of Lance in the claws of Lotor was more than enough to fuel the fire scorching in his chest. He could feel his Wereish instincts clinging to every fiber of his being, just waiting for the signal to be let out. 

 

_ I need to calm down. I need to find Lance first. _

 

_ Can’t exactly burst in as a werewolf and scare the shit out of him without some sort of explanation. _

 

Keith emerged from the thick brush to find himself in the shadow of a large building. It reeked of urine and dust and general decay, but overpowering all those other smells was the stench of blood.

 

_ Oh fuck- _

 

_ Wait. Is that my own blood I’m smelling? _

 

There was no way, since the odour was too fresh to belong to him, but Keith couldn’t deny the subtle traces of his own scent lingering around the building. 

 

_ Oh you’re fucking kidding me, _ he thought to himself as he rushed around the building towards the front. He recognized it immediately. 

 

_ You’re absolutely shitting me. HERE?! _

 

Keith’s bitter memories of waking up naked in this very warehouse not so long ago were effortlessly tossed to the side as a weakened whimper tore through the air, carrying with it the undeniable undertone of pain and fear.

 

Keith knew with growing dread who it belonged to. 

 

And the realization shoved him roughly over the edge.

 

_ LANCE! _

 

He charged towards the entrance, not slowing as he crashed into the solid metal door, which blew open on it’s hinges with a rusted whine. A billow of dust rushed up from the commotion, momentarily blinding Keith as his eyes adjusted to the new lighting.

 

And then a voice. A slimy, filthy,  _ hideously repulsive  _ voice that he very much wanted to silence forever, called out:

 

“Who’s there?!”

 

_ Oh you fucking know who you bastard- _ Keith wanted to say; was about to when his gaze landed on the figure Lotor was holding up against the far wall of the building. Small, fragile, trembling,  _ bleeding! _

 

Blue eyes stared back at Keith; wide and beautiful and glistening in the low light. They held no fear. No hatred, no sadness...not even  _ relief _ as they took in Keith. 

 

Lance was staring at him with a fondness Keith couldn’t comprehend. And then his eyes slid shut as his body went limp.

 

“LANCE!” 

 

Keith barreled towards Lotor, who relinquished his grip on Lance enough so that the boy slid to the floor with an unceremonious thump. 

 

Lotor had a wicked grin on his face, and faced Keith with a bravado that was almost commendable. 

 

“Oh Keith, what a pleasant-”

 

He didn’t get to finish his sentence. Keith slammed his fist into the side of Lotor’s face so hard he heard something crack, and the momentum that had been carrying him forward transferred to the alpha stupendously. Lotor was shot backward with a force equivalent to that of being hit by a small car. There was a yelp of startled pain from the man as he was knocked back, but Keith didn’t stop to investigate.

 

He had bigger priorities. 

 

“Lance, oh my god oh my god oh my god…” he chanted worriedly as he crouched down next to the lanky boy. Dried blood was caked to the side of his face and matting his hair, making Keith’s innards seethe with rage. “Lance please-” Keith broke off as his voice hitched in his throat, and he bent fully to take the boy up in his arms, noticing for the first time the multiple open wounds on Lance’s back that were lazily spilling red. “I’m sorry, I’m  _ sorry _ ! This is my fault! And now you’re hurt and-and…Lance please!”

 

Something wet slid down the side of his face, and Keith grit his teeth as he worked to control his emotions. He couldn’t Change. He had to get Lance to safety first.

 

“Lance,” he whispered, hoping the boy could hear him as he glanced nervously around the warehouse, searching for something he could use to carry Lance out of the place without injuring him further. “Lance I’m gonna get you out of here, ok? Just stay with me-”

 

“K-Keith?” 

 

The voice was small and raw, barely a breath of air, but Keith heard it louder than any word he had ever heard before. His head jerked down to face Lance, who was smiling dazedly up at him. “You’re here…”

 

Keith felt his lungs deflate with a relieved chuckle, and more liquid spilled from his eyes at the sight of seeing Lance, not only conscious, but staring up at him with that stupid lopsided grin that had captivated Keith right from the start. 

 

“‘Course I’m here.”

 

Lance’s mouth opened in what appeared to be mild shock, before he closed it with a smile. He tried to sit up, but gasped in pain at the motion, and Keith adjusted his grip so Lance was leaning more heavily into his side. The boy panted, eyes squeezed shut for a moment, and then he was grinning back up at Keith.

 

“Just couldn’t keep away, huh? My charming good looks too addictive?”

  
Keith smiled back.

 

“Like caffeine.”

 

Lance was about to reply when another voice joined the mix, subsequently ruining the moment.

 

“How  _ dare _ you!” Lotor fumed, stumbling over from where Keith had knocked him down and clutching his jaw with both hands. “You broke my  _ fucking _ nose!” A thick stream of blood was oozing from both nostrils; an angry purple bruise quickly blossoming under narrowed eyes. 

 

Keith tensed, arching his body protectively over Lance as Lotor approached.

 

“You broke the nose of your alpha-”

 

“Yeah well, it was a piece of shit anyway,” Keith interrupted, giving himself the small satisfaction of seeing Lotor scowl at the insult. “You couldn’t even tell a Were scent from a human one! You’ve violated the code,  _ again, _ and attacked an innocent mundane!”

 

“You can’t prove that,” Lotor snarled, his eyes shifting to yellow slits. Lance gasped beside him.

 

“Um, Keith?”

 

Keith ignored him for the time being, keeping his attention on Lotor as he began to Change. 

 

“Attacking the alpha like that…you mean to challenge me? You know what happened last time  _ pup _ ,” Lotor’s voice was growing thick and menacing, his body becoming larger as his features became more wolfish. 

 

There was no way out of it. The only thing Keith could do to keep Lance safe from Lotor was to Change himself. He inhaled shakily, dragging Lance backward as carefully as he could to rest him up against the wall as Lotor’s shift took over. 

 

He began slipping off his shoes and shirt; the latter of which had Lance’s eyes bulging almost comically.  

 

“Keith what the hell-”

 

Keith silenced him by placing his balled up clothing on Lance’s head. 

 

“Hold this here until the bleeding stops.”

 

“B-but Keith!” Lance squeaked, pointing a shaky finger to where Lotor’s body was twisting at odd angles. It was a forced Change, meaning Lotor had lost control of the situation. 

 

Never a good thing to compete with, seeing as all human sensibilities were tossed out the window to be replaced with pure Were mentality. 

 

Keith was in trouble, but he didn’t let his fear show. He had to stay focused for Lance.

 

“What the hell is happening!” Lance demanded, fist tightening around Keith’s shirt, making his knuckles turn white. Keith took Lance’s hands in his own, squeezing them gently as blue eyes flickered up into his face in horrified confusion. “K-Keith?”

 

“Lance, there’s something you need to know.”

 

“Does it have anything to do with the guy turning into a  _ fucking wolf _ over there!” Lance pointed, and Keith grabbed hold of his hand again, forcing his attention back on himself.

 

He had no time to explain properly, so just skipped right to the chase.

 

“He’s a Were.”

 

“AWARE OF WHAT?!” 

 

Keith groaned. Clearly this wasn’t going to work, so he tried something else.

 

“Remember how I said things were complicated?” he said softly, leaning in so Lance could only look at him. The boy nodded hesitantly, and behind them Lotor’s ragged howl signalled the end of his Change. 

 

Time was up. 

 

“Well,” Keith huffed, “welcome to my life.”

 

And with one final hand squeeze he pushed away from Lance, turning to face his alpha. A massive white wolf stood heaving in the place Lotor had been, torn clothing scattered around it. Keith shoved his nerves down his throat with a swallow, and took one final breath before Lotor was lunging at him.

 

Keith rolled away, drawing Lotor’s attention away from where Lance was currently curling in on himself. It worked, and Lotor’s gargantuan wolf head whipped around to follow Keith’s movements. 

 

A jowl of frothing teeth opened in a low growl; the issuance of a challenge. Keith couldn’t back down. Or well, he could, but that would result in his death, especially with Lotor’s streak of violating the codes. 

 

_ Ah, fuck me. _

 

Lotor approached slowly, keeping his body low as he stalked towards Keith. 

 

_ Good, this will work. I’m more deft than Lotor, and if I can just get him outside then I can Change without Lance seeing- _

 

“Keith look out!” 

 

Lance’s voice shred through the air as Lotor jumped forward. Keith was able to dodge, though just barely, and cursed as his roll ended sloppily in response to Lance’s outburst.

 

_ Shit!  _

 

Lotor’s attention drifted towards the sound, and all at once his focus on Keith was forgotten.

 

“Uh-good doggie, ah nice wolf? I taste terrible I promise, all bones and...fuck, dogs like bones don’t they. KEITH! What do I  _ do _ ?!” Lance yelped, scuttling as best he could along the length of the wall and away from the approaching Were. A long string of drool leaked from Lotor’s open jaws, and Lance whimpered as he was engulfed in the shadow of the beast. 

 

_ SHIT! _

 

“Lance!” He cried, and the boy spared him a brief, petrified glance. “Don’t freak out, ok?”

 

“Don't freak  _ out?! _ How-” Lance broke off as Keith ran towards them, diving forward with a giant leap and Changing mid-air. His body shifted effortlessly from human to wolf form, much quicker than Lotor had. It was a skill that came with controlled emotions and practice, and though Keith tended to be a bit of a hot head, he’d mastered the art of Changing under pressure with years of work. It was a talent even Shiro had vocalized his jealousy of, but Keith didn’t have time for pride. 

 

He slammed into Lotor’s side, interrupting his path towards Lance, and the two rolled across the floor of the warehouse. Somewhere in the back of his mind Keith registered Lance’s startled yelling, but he paid it no mind. With Lotor desperately fighting against him, it took every ounce of Keith’s strength to remain focused. 

 

_ Fuck fuck fuck, this was a terrible idea! _

 

_ I should have told Shiro where- _

 

He broke off with a cry as Lotor’s teeth sunk into his leg, and jumped back in response. 

 

_ MotherFUCKER- _

 

Blood dripped from the wound, landing on the floor and mixing with Lance’s. 

 

_ I need to protect him.  _

 

Fire burned through Keith; fiery and intense. It lit up within him like a match to dry tinder, and allowed his mind to bypass the pain in his leg and sides. 

 

_ I can do this.  _

 

_ For Lance. _

 

Despite the renewed ambition, Lotor was still thrice the size of Keith, and wasn’t nursing wounds from a day-old fight. Keith’s body was at about sixty-five percent of what it was usually at, and dropping. 

 

Lotor lunged at him, and Keith barely had enough time to scurry out of the way. As it was, Lotor’s paw swiped Keith’s back legs out from behind him, and he crashed ungracefully into a stack of heavy boxes that rained down on him with jagged corners.

 

_ This place is the WORST! _

 

He struggled beneath the added weight of the containers, freeing himself just as Lotor pounced again. Keith slid across the floor, shifting his position to use the far wall as leverage and push against it towards Lotor, using the extra force in his favour as the two collided once again. 

 

It was fierce, to say the least, and the sounds of their fight echoed mercilessly around the warehouse. Keith had Lotor pinned, ignoring as best he could the feeling of claws tearing away at his underbelly as Lotor fought against him. If he could just reach the jugular-

 

Lotor found purchase against one of the fallen boxes, and used it to shove himself out from under Keith’s paws. He was still vulnerable, and Keith was about to attack again when he heard a startled cry from behind him. 

 

His head whipped around, just in time to see Lance roll away from the oncoming container that had slid his way with Lotor’s escape. The boy landed flat on his side, eyes pinched shut as evidence of pain engraved itself onto his face. 

 

_ LANCE- _

 

Keith’s thoughts were cut short as he was knocked onto his side by Lotor; having taken advantage of Keith’s momentary distraction to regain his footing.

 

Pain ripped through Keith’s side as he slammed into the wall, and Lotor was not about to give up. He pinned Keith beneath him, using his front legs to pound down onto Keith’s chest with brute strength. 

 

Everything burned. The fire that had once been on his side, fueling him and urging him onwards, had become traitorous, and was now engulfing him from the inside out. 

 

Keith heard himself cry out, his whimpers loud and shredding through the air. 

 

It was all he could do to remain conscious as snaps echoed from inside his body, each one bringing with it a new torture. 

 

_ Lance-I’m so sorry...I- _

 

_ I couldn’t protect you! _

 

But something inside of Keith couldn’t accept that fact. It refused to give in, and as images of Lance flooded his mind, Keith was able to get his hind legs up to push Lotor back. He flipped over, breath hitching as his ribs, now incredibly obliterated, made their pain known.

 

_ I can’t die.  _

 

_ I need to protect Lance! _

 

He surged forward with all the power he could muster, but Lotor was quicker. With one swipe of his paw, Keith was sent flying the other way, landing heavily somewhere across the room. He couldn’t breathe. The wind was knocked clear out of his lungs, and just like that, he found himself back in his human form.

 

_ No...No no no! _

 

_ My wolf form was stronger! I need to Change back!  _

 

But as Keith struggled to lift himself up off the ground, he found he couldn’t. His vision swirled dangerously as the form of a looming white wolf approached with ease. 

 

“Stop-” he tried to get out, but it was no use. His energy was fading fast; the deep throbbing in his entire body making the littlest tasks near impossible. 

 

“Stop-” he said again, and then suddenly Lotor, naked in his human form, was standing before him, grinning down at him with such malice that it sent a shiver down Keith’s spine. 

 

“You challenged an alpha, pup. You know what the codes read.”

 

Keith wanted to stand. He couldn’t die laying on the floor of a dusty old warehouse. He wouldn’t allow it!

 

But his body had other plans, and remained where it was.

 

“Keith!” 

 

His eyes darted over to where the sound had come from, and landed on the shrunken figure of Lance. 

 

_ No! NO! _

 

“Lance,” he panted, managing to lift his head and take one last look at the boy. “ _ Run!” _

 

“ _ Keith!” _

 

“Ha!” Lotor threw his head back in false mirth, before turning to walk in Lance’s direction. “Here I was just going to  _ kill _ you! Silly me. And after you sabotaged my rightful inheritance of Zarkon’s pack.” Lotor laughed dryly. “I had everything so meticulously planned. That bastard would have seen what I was capable of. I would have shown him-” He broke off, spitting red and grinning. “Rest assured,  _ pup, _ I’ll make sure to give  _ you _ a show.”

 

Keith’s heart constricted in his chest, and with a burst of strength found hidden deep within himself, he managed to sit up. Blood was clouding his vision. His body was torn and broken and bruised. But as he watched Lotor approach Lance with the intent of hurting him, everything sort of went blank. Nothing else mattered besides Lance.

 

“Lotor!” he called out, crawling forward towards where Lance was furiously shuffling away from his captor. “Don’t hurt him! Let him go!”

 

Lotor paused briefly, turning to stare back at Keith with a smirk.

 

“And why should I do that?”

 

“Because, he’s human!” Keith panted out, each word a stab to his sides. “It’s against the-”

 

“Codes, yes,” Lotor supplied, waving him off as one would a fly. “But who’s to say it was me who killed the boy? Hmm? Who’s to say it wasn’t you, intent on hurting the innocent, and I, in turn, killed you? I took down the monster, but was too late to save the human.” His smile grew wolfish, pointed teeth splitting his lower lip as Lotor turned back towards Lance. “Who’s to say it was me who ripped out the pretty boy’s throat, when both of you are dead?”

 

Static filled Keith’s ears. It was as if the world had taken a time-out, and everything slowed. 

 

Blame it on the concussion; the copious amount of blood loss making his mind fuzzy, but as Keith watched with painful tardiness as Lotor approached Lance, an idea formed.

 

A crazy, preposterous,  _ wonderfully ridiculous _ , not to mention  _ completely _ outlandish, idea. 

 

_ I can’t- _

 

And yet, it was the only thing Keith could think of to save Lance. 

 

He shuffled away from Lotor, back to the center of the room where Lance’s scent was strongest. It was the most difficult trek of his life, but somehow Keith managed to crawl towards one of the larger pools of blood Lance had left behind. 

 

_ If I do this, there’s no going back. _

 

_ I didn’t even consult with Lance...hell, we barely know each other! _

 

But as those thoughts raced around inside Keith’s head, images of Lance’s smile fading from existence gave him the motivation to go on.

 

_ The world deserves to see that smile. _

 

He dipped his finger in Lance’s blood, coating the tips and bringing them shakily to his chest. 

 

_ This is the only way. _

 

_ And besides, you were sort of considering it anyway, right? _

 

_ Yeah, but like, not for real! Well, sort of, but not so soon!  _

 

_ This is….ah fuck it. Lance, I’m sorry, but... here we go. _

 

And with that he dragged his fingertips across his chest, leaving a string of red lines directly over his heart, and called out to Lotor.

 

“Lotor, you can’t harm him.”

 

His voice was stronger than he had been anticipating, and the way it echoed forcibly around the room gave Keith the strength to continue as Lotor’s body tensed. He turned back to face Keith, momentarily surprised to see he had moved, and then frowned as he saw the lines across Keith’s bare chest. 

 

“I’ll do as I please and there’s nothing you can do to stop-”

 

“Oh,” Keith interrupted, “but there is.” With that he allowed one claw to grow on his pinky finger, and brought it up to where Lance’s blood was drawn into his skin. “See, Lotor, I know a thing or two about the codes. Old, new, and very,  _ very _ ancient.”

 

“Enough of this. You’re stalling-”

 

Keith managed to chuckle here, and his gaze wandered over to where Lance was watching him with wide eyes. He focused on that icy blue; drew strength from it, as well as calm, and let the claw on his pinky finger pierce the skin of his chest. “Lance,” he said, and the boy nodded hesitantly for him to go on. “I’m claiming you, as my own. By the codes, and the laws that bind us, from this moment on, you’ll be mine, and our lives shall be one.”

 

He took a deep, deciding breath, and held Lance’s gaze, perplexed as it was. 

 

“May your life be free of pain, brought safe by my-” he swallowed thickly, startled to feel embarrassment at such a time, “-by my love, and by the blood that runs through these veins.”

 

He held Lance’s stare, even as the boy’s mouth dropped open and his eyebrows shot up on his forehead.  

 

It was the only way.

 

“Such is the manner of the claim.” 

 

And with that he slid his finger down, tearing a thin cut across his skin and overtop of Lance’s blood. He tore through all five lines in one perpendicular sweep, and watched for a moment as their blood intermingled. 

 

For several seconds there was nothing, and Keith feared that the claim had not worked. But then all at once, something pounded once inside him, louder than any heartbeat and infinitely more powerful. 

 

Energy coursed through Keith’s veins; pure and rich and  _ exhilarating!  _ His eyes shot open, the adrenaline filling his body enough to make him forget the pain it housed. Lance seemed to be experiencing something similar, and was clutching his chest with a startled gasp. Blue eyes met indigo from across the room, and then something sharp and insistent was pulling Keith forward; urging him towards Lance.

 

His body was hyperaware of his surroundings. Eyesight crisper than ever, ears more in tune with each miniscule sound, and sense of smell going overboard with sensation!

 

But it was all focused on Lance.

 

The way his pulse beat erratically beneath bronze skin. Or the sound of his breath as it escaped chapped lips. Nothing else in the world mattered besides Lance, and Keith felt his mouth turn up at the corners as he grinned back at the boy. 

 

_ So this...is what it feels to claim someone. _

 

_ Amazing! _

 

All fear had evacuated Keith’s mind. Even as Lotor stormed towards him, Keith was able to stand without so much as a stumble. It was miraculous, but already he was feeling the power of the claim begin to fade.

 

Not that it mattered. Lance was safe now. 

 

At least from Lotor.

 

“What did you  _ do?!” _ the man bellowed, and Keith raised an eyebrow in reply.

 

“I told you. I’ve claimed him. Lance and I are...bound, now. For...uh,” he trailed off here, the realization of his actions hitting him at full force.

 

_ Holy fuck! Did I actually just do that?!  _

 

_ And with LANCE?! _

 

There was no time for pondering his decision just then. Lotor’s face was dangerously close to his own, chest heaving with rage, and then all at once he was running back to Lance. 

 

Keith took a step forward, and felt his leg give out. The energy of the claim could only do so much, and his body was in rough shape. 

 

“Stop!” he called out, just as Lotor reached Lance. He paused only briefly, before yanking the boy up by the arm and dragging him out from the corner. “Let him go!”

 

“Or else what!” Lotor snapped, and made to claw down Lance’s arm with his fingers. He stopped before doing any damage, and dropped Lance with an excruciating cry. 

 

“ _ What have you done?!” _ he demanded, clutching at his upper arm; the same place he had been gripping Lance.

 

Keith felt his lips curl up, the power of the claim legitimate and binding. 

 

_ Lance is safe now. _

 

“ANSWER ME!” Lotor roared, the sound amplified by metal walls. But Keith didn’t flinch. Instead he let his smile grow, lowering his brows over his eyes as he glared back at his alpha. 

 

“I told you, I’ve claimed him. Any harm you try and inflict on him with the intention of wronging me is rebounded tenfold onto you.”

 

There was a moment of silence, and then Lotor’s form was beginning to shift once again.

 

“What sort of magic-”

 

“Not magic,” Keith explained, his remaining energy quickly fading. “An ancient bond. Used to protect mundane lovers from pack feuds back before the official codes were instituted.”

 

Lotor snarled, teeth growing to jagged points.

 

“You and your-”

 

“Codes?” Keith interrupted, glancing over at Lance and seeing the boy watching him in awe. He turned back to Lotor with a smirk. “Yeah. Maybe you should try learning them, fuckface.”

 

Lotor’s eye twitched at the insult, but instead of completing the Change, as Keith had fully been anticipating, Lotor simply began to laugh.

 

It was a horrifying sound; one that would be engrained in Keith’s brain for months to come.

 

“So, you’ve outwitted me again it seems, pup. Clever. I would have thought the older bonds had lost their potency with age. Apparently I was wrong.”

 

Keith tensed. Angry, bloodthirsty Lotor he could deal with. Poorly, yes, but at least he knew how to handle that side of the alpha. 

 

But this? Calm, cool and collected Lotor was a million times more intimidating, and a chill ran across Keith’s body that he knew was not attributed to his lack of clothing. 

 

“The protection of a claim, as I recall, only works one way. Humans lack the capacity to perform one, but then again, it wasn’t exactly made for humans, now was it.” 

 

Keith didn’t answer. He had a feeling he knew what Lotor was getting at.

 

_ So long as Lance is safe, then it doesn’t matter what happens to me. _

 

“Though I may not be able to harm your little  _ pet _ now,” Lotor went on, closing the distance between them with calculated delay, “nothing will prevent me from ending  _ your _ life. You did, after all, accept my challenge. And though I could grant leniency, mark you as a submissive as Zarkon did to your maimed champion-” Keith flinched at the mention of Shiro, but remained silent. “-I don’t think I want to.”

 

Keith inhaled sharply.

 

_ I knew it.  _

 

Lotor was right. The claim was only meant to grant protection to the human counterpart, otherwise Weres would take advantage of it. There was nothing in the ancient bonds that would save him, not that Keith really cared.

 

His intention had been to prevent Lotor from further harming Lance, and now that his claim had been made, Keith found himself unafraid as his alpha drew nearer.

 

“Prepare to die pup,” Lotor growled, and behind them Lance called out.

 

“Keith  _ no! _ Run!”

 

But even if he wanted to, Keith’s legs wouldn’t budge. His head was spinning and his vision was blurred; the only thing keeping him standing was knowing that Lotor couldn’t get what he wanted. 

 

His gaze drifted over towards Lance as Lotor began to Change, and he mouthed the words ‘I’m sorry’, watching as Lance’s expression shifted from confusion to anguish to determination as he struggled to get to his feet.

 

_ Good. Run. Get out of here and go somewhere safe. _

 

But Lance didn’t head towards the exit. Instead he stumbled around until he found something solid and long, though Keith could not identify what it was, and began limping over to where he and Lotor were standing. 

 

_ No... _ Keith thought sluggishly, and then his knees were giving out, Lotor’s wolf form beginning to take shape before him.  _ No Lance! Run! _

 

It all happened so suddenly that Keith partially blamed it on his injuries muddling with his perception of time.

 

As Lance lifted the object he was holding, preparing to swing it down across Lotor’s back, Keith reached out with a shaking hand, begging him to take this opportunity to run. Lotor’s Change was nearly complete, body disproportionate and gross. 

 

And then, before any of their actions could be completed, a voice called out; powerful and all-encompassing.

 

“Lotor! That is enough!”

 

A moment of absolute stillness, and then Lotor’s form was regaining it’s human appearance, and he turned towards where the voice had originated.

 

Allura stepped forward, hair tied back and eyes glowing with animosity as she beheld the scene. 

 

“Back down. Now.”

 

Shiro was there as well, and when he saw Keith on the ground in a pool of his and Lance’s blood, his face paled, and he made to run forward.

 

Coran held him back though, whispering something Keith couldn’t discern in his ear, and then Shiro was nodding slowly, as if in shock.

 

_ Shiro...I’m so sorry… _

 

Lotor spun on his heel, fully facing Allura and opening his arms in an almost welcoming gesture.

 

“Is that little Lulu I hear?” he sneered, and Allura stepped further into the room, tossing her coat to the floor as she did. 

 

“You lost the privilege of calling me that years ago Lotor,” she retorted, cracking her knuckles as she continued her steady walk in. “The day your father betrayed mine.”

 

Lotor scoffed, placing a hand to his hip in nonchalance. 

 

“Say what you will about our past Lulu, but you cannot deny the weakness Alfor had for-”

 

“How  _ dare _ you speak his name!” Allura cut him off, her words holding such an intense heat that Keith felt the room warm a few degrees. “Alfor was his  _ leader!  _ His  _ brother! _ Zarkon’s actions were in  _ complete  _ violation of the laws! Particularly among Pures!”

 

“Alfor was weak. His pack was tarnished. Zarkon did what he had to in order to strengthen the bloodlines-”

 

“You have no  _ right _ to speak of blood Lotor! You killed your own father!”

 

Lotor’s smile grew wicked, and he chuckled mirthlessly. 

 

“Oh Lulu, you know so little.”

 

“You murdered your own blood,” Allura seethed, and again Lotor laughed.

 

“Zarkon may have called himself my father, but he was  _ not _ my blood.”

 

The confession rattled them all to the core, and even Allura paused in her tracks as she tilted her head in confusion.

 

“What?”

 

“Doubt me, if you wish, but Zarkon was never my true father.”

 

“You’re lying-”

 

“Am I?” Lotor interrupted. “You know the ways, Lulu. Us  _ Pures _ are held at a different standard than the others. Though the packs cannot be inherited by blood ties, it is expected that the child will challenge the parent for rights to alpha; to keep the packs strong, and under one name. Tell me this isn’t true.”

 

Keith waited for Allura to object; to shake her head and proceed to bite Lotor’s clean off, but she didn’t.

 

Instead she remained silent, her hands balled up into tight fists as she held Lotor’s gaze. 

 

“Precisely.” Lotor nodded in victory, and Keith saw Shiro begin to shake his head in shock. 

 

“I was to be Zarkon’s challenger. It was my birthright. The time came when he was too old to continue as alpha, but the day I challenged him he refused. Laughed in my face.” Lotor inhaled sharply, before going on. “As it happens, I am not of his blood.”

 

“Preposterous!” Coran called out from behind Allura, but she held up a hand to silence him, motioning for Lotor to go on.

 

“Zarkon was incapable of fathering children. He...lent my mother out to several of his closer companions, until she was returned to him bearing a child. No one knew, myself included, until recently that is.”

 

Allura’s face dropped, her shoulders heaving as her breathing grew more ragged.

 

Coran was open-mouthed and gaping, as was Shiro.

 

Keith himself, had he the energy to spare, would likely have said something prolific upon hearing the startling news. Only Lance seemed to be unaffected by the information, and was slowly creeping towards Keith as Lotor’s back was turned. 

 

“I killed Zarkon for multiple reasons. Spite, anger, defiance,” Lotor went on with a shrug. “Blamed it on a lone alpha to prevent suspicion as to my interference, then all I needed was a convincing enough letter to bring the true heir to the pack in town.”

 

Allura gasped, but Lotor ignored her.

 

“The plan was to claim title just long enough to defeat you, sweet little Lulu. Afterall, Zarkon’s murder of your father was illegitimate in the eyes of the code, something this insolent  _ pup _ here is likely well aware of.” Lotor spared a glare in Keith’s direction, making Lance freeze in his approach. Lotor didn’t seem to notice his advances though, and focused back on Allura. “Even with Zarkon’s pack disbanded temporarily, once I had defeatd you, a  _ Pure _ , my howl would have held enough sway to bring them crawling back. And now it’s all come into play.”

 

Allura didn’t flinch at Lotor’s threat, instead shaking her head slowly as she processed the information.

 

“I had no idea about Zarkon and that...troubling history,” Allura spoke clearly, her voice never wavering. “And though I find you guilty of numerous accounts of code violations, kidnapping and injuring a mundane to toy with a member of your own pack is downright despicable. Explain your actions!” 

 

“I had reason to believe he was withholding information-” Lotor tried, but Keith cut him off.

 

“Bullshit. You knew Lance was human! And you threatened to kill him in order to make me suffer!”

 

Lotor whirled, his eyes narrowing as he growled lowly in the back of his throat. 

 

“Mayhaps, but you thwarted  _ that _ plan as well! Didn’t you  _ pup. _ What with that  _ clever  _ use of the Ancient bonds. _ ” _ He spat each word, but the anger they held only made Keith more confident in his actions.

 

_ Claiming Lance was the right thing to do.  _

 

“Oh no,” Keith heard Shiro say suddenly, and his attention flickered over to where his brother was standing with his hands over his mouth. “Keith, you didn’t-”

 

“He  _ did, _ ” Lotor finished, spinning so he was now facing Lance. “The human has been claimed by this runt. I cannot harm him. But Keith here,” he glanced back at him with a smirk, “accepted my challenge, and I have every intention of finishing the task.”

 

He began walking back towards where Keith still lay, and then Shiro was shouting as he struggled against Coran’s grip to go to his brother.

 

Keith was too weak to do much else than glare up at Lotor as he advanced, willing himself to be brave as his final moments drew nearer. 

 

“Keith!” Lance yelped, making to interfere, but suddenly Allura was there, blocking Lotor’s path with both hands in front of her. 

 

“Move aside,” Lotor hissed, but Allura simply shook her head.

 

“I, Allura,” she spoke with authority, and the power in her voice had them all focusing on her. “Daughter of Alfor and rightful leader of the Pure bloodlines, hereby challenge you, Lotor, for rights and title of this pack. I challenge you, alpha to alpha, for the inheritance of our fathers. Do you accept.”

 

Her words were brimming with bravado, and even Lotor looked mildly taken aback by the abrupt declaration. Keith held his breath, unsure of what was to come.

 

“You can’t-” Coran began, but Allura silenced him with a low rumbling in the back of her throat.

 

“I can,” she said, not turning to face him. “If Lotor is not the true son of Zarkon, then we are not blood. He and I have no connection aside from a shared past.” Lotor blinked, looking almost taken aback as Allura lowered her voice further, asserting her dominance as she addressed him. “Now, do you accept my challenge, or do you submit.”

 

Lotor’s face was blank for a moment; his breathing growing laboured as his Change once again began to manifest. And then he grimaced wickedly, lowering himself in preparation.

 

“Oh, I accept,” he growled. “It was nice knowing you Lulu.” All at once the Change began. It was quicker this time, only taking a few seconds before his Were form was complete. Allura nodded, and then she herself underwent the transformation. 

 

Keith had only ever seen two wolves large enough to rival a bull: Zarkon, and Lotor. Shiro had been a contender once, before his arm had been taken, but aside from them, Keith had been convinced Weres could not grow any larger. 

 

He had been mistaken, as it so happens.

 

Allura’s Change was fluid, more so than Keith’s, and all at once the woman who had been standing several feet away was gone; in her place was a wolf, fur so white it was almost platinum, and decidedly the biggest Were Keith had ever seen.

 

_ Holy fucking shit- _

 

His thoughts were interrupted as Lotor lunged forward, and all at once their fight commenced. 

 

Keith was in a bad spot, and with Lotor and Allura battling it out for alpha in such a small space, he was in no position to run off. 

 

Couldn’t anyways, seeing as his legs were too stiff to move. 

_ I’m going to be squashed by these monsters!  _ Keith thought. Shiro and Coran were still on the other side of the warehouse, and Allura and Lotor’s fight was preventing them from getting any closer. 

 

_ This is bad...I just need to move- _

 

Warm hands suddenly fluttered hesitantly over his body, before landing on Keith’s shoulders and turning him onto his side tenderly. 

 

Keith’s eyes blinked up to Lance’s face, who must have taken the opportunity of the alpha’s distraction to rush to his side. A wave of calm spread out over Keith’s body, easing the pain in his sides as Lance tried his best to pull him to safety. 

 

Once as far as he could make it, Lance crouched down next to Keith, and tossed something warm, soft, and smelling strongly of coffee beans and lemon pledge over his body. Keith smiled groggily at the added heat; his concussion beginning to take over his ability to make cognitive thoughts. 

 

“Hey,” he managed to get out, and Lance’s fearful expression turned soft upon hearing Keith’s voice. 

 

“Hi.”

 

“Not safe here,” Keith winced at the effort to form words. “You should run-”

 

“No,” Lance whispered back, taking Keith’s shirt that he had given him at the beginning of all this and using it to mop up some of the blood on his chest. He made an effort to avoid disrupting the lines Keith had drawn on himself though; the evidence of his claim. 

 

“Lance-” Keith started, but trailed off as lanky brown hands came into contact with his skin. Lance lightly traced over the pattern, and then moved to his hand to his own chest, as if he could feel the claim imprinted above his own heart. 

 

Keith frowned, head throbbing, and flt his stomach flip uneasily.

 

“Sorry about that. It was the only way-”

 

“No,” Lance said again, cupping Keith’s cheek and brushing loose strands of hair away from his forehead. “I uh, don’t really understand it...any of it really,” he mumbled. “But I felt something, when you did that...thing. It was like a tightness, almost, in my chest. Like I was drawn to you, or-or...I don’t know,” he shook his head, giving up on words. “It was weird.”

 

Keith felt terrible. Binding himself to Lance had been the only way to prevent further harm from coming to him. But Keith couldn’t help but feel guilty as the severity of his actions came to the forefront of his mind.

 

_ He probably hates me, and I claimed him without even asking first! _

 

_ And I don’t think there’s any way to break a bond after a claim… _

 

_ Oh fuck, what did I do! _

 

“Lance, I’m so sorry,” he breathed, “but it was all I could think of-”

 

“Shh, save your strength wolfy,” Lance cooed, and Keith felt his heart flutter at the nickname. A particularly loud snarl had his attention jerking over to where Allura and Lotor were still in the heat of battle, and his pulse quickened as Lance’s arms tightened around him.

 

“I need to get you out of here,” he muttered, and Keith made a small groan of protest. 

 

“No, Lance, you need to run. Leave me here, I’ll be fine-”

 

“You’re a terrible liar,” Lance mumbled, his lips turning up at the corners as he gazed down at Keith. “Besides, this feels like the right place to be.”

 

Keith managed to raise a brow at that.

 

“In the middle of a disgusting warehouse with monster wolves fighting to the death?”

 

“No,” Lance chuckled softly, and Keith melted at the sound. “I meant right here, with you in my arms.”

 

_ Holy shit… _

 

Keith’s ears burned, his heart humming loudly, but he couldn’t deny the truth in those words. Being in Lance’s embrace felt amazing; safe and soothing and just  _ right. _ Keith blamed his weakened condition, his magnitude of aches and pains, but he had a feeling the sensation of such overwhelming affection had everything to do with the lines across his chest.

 

He had claimed Lance, after all. They were bound now, for life. 

 

_ Oh fuck he’s gonna hate me when he finds out the full extent of what I did… _

 

But on the other hand, maybe he wouldn’t. Maybe everything would work out.

 

_ Maybe this was meant to be… _

 

A sharp cry drew his attention away from Lance’s eyes once again; back towards the scene in the center of the warehouse. 

 

Two white wolves, fur bloodied and stained pink, were apparently at an impasse. It was difficult to tell who was who, given the similarities in their appearance, and Keith’s heart beat erratically as he struggled to decipher who it was leaning over the one on the ground. 

 

_ Please...please Allura… _

 

And then the bottom wolf was rolling backwards, kicking the one above it in the chest in an attempt to escape. It would have worked too, had the other not been faster.

 

In the time it took for Keith to blink, the would-be-escapee was thrown against the far wall, denting it on impact and rolling to the ground with a drawn out whine.

 

Keith winced, feeling his own injuries flare at the sight and sound. 

 

The second wolf approached slowly; each step meticulous and without waiver, until it was hovering menacingly above the other. Ears flattened against the downed wolf’s head as its tail began wagging slowly back and forth; the whimpers growing louder and more pitiful by the second.

 

_ A...submission? But by who! _

 

If it was Allura, Lotor wouldn’t spare her. Not after tonight. And then they were all screwed.

 

But as Keith watched, praying to gods he didn’t believe in that his wishes would finally be granted, the wolf looming over the one on the ground backed off, allowing the other to roll over onto its stomach and lower its head to the ground in a proper show of defeat.

 

_ No way....Lotor..it has to be him! He’s submitting?! _

 

_ That means- _

 

Before he could finish his thought, the standing Were-  _ that has to be Allura- _ lifted a massive paw and placed it on top of the others snout: an acceptance of the plea; a show of mercy.

 

_ No way...she’s letting him live! _

 

Keith was too shocked to do much else but stare as Allura-  _ thank fucking hell-  _ shifted back to her human form, standing before Lotor’s wolf body without any sign of fear. It was the first time in months he allowed himself to grow hopeful.

 

_ Lotor submitted...that means Allura won! She’s the new alpha! _

 

Coran dashed forward, draping a long coat over the woman’s shoulders as she began to turn away. All it took was that brief moment, and then Lotor’s head was lifting, teeth bared as he made to lunge again. Keith watched in horror, unable to call out in warning as Lotor’s paws swiped out, ready to catch Allura off guard in her human form.

 

_ No, no no no! _

 

But the strike never came.

 

Instead Lotor was sent flying into the back all as something black and white and nearly as bulky rammed into his side.

 

Allura and Coran whirled just in time to see Shiro in his Were form, unstable on three legs, rise up from the impact, and Lotor shifted back to his human body as he was knocked out cold.

 

_ Shiro! Holy shit! HOLY SHIT!! _

 

And then his brother was trotting over to him and Lance, Changing as he drew closer, and examining the extent of Keith’s injuries with practised hands.

 

“Dude, you just took out Lotor-” Keith began coughing halfway through his admiration speech, and gasped as fresh pain sliced down his torso. Both Shiro and Lance frowned in obvious concern, ignoring Keith’s hand as he tried to wave them off. “I’m fine.”

 

“You’re not. You’re badly injured,” Shiro informed him, getting up to search for something to bind his wounds, and Keith grunted as his vision swam. Arguing was too much work, so he let himself fall more heavily into Lance’s arms. 

 

“Shhh,” Lance soothed, brushing his fingers through Keith’s hair. The feeling was remarkable, and Keith felt his eyes begin to slide shut as goosebumps raised over his arms and down his neck. All at once Lance’s hand drew back, and Keith groaned weakly at the loss. “Nope, none of that. You have to stay awake babe.”

 

Keith eyes shot open, and he blinked comically up at Lance with a dopey smile.

 

_ Did I really just hear that? _

 

“Did you just call me ‘babe’?” 

 

Lance chuckled softly, cheeks turning a lovely shade of pink as he ducked his head bashfully.

 

“Yeah well, I’ve seen like,  _ all _ of you now-” Keith felt his face heat as he realized how exposed he had been for the majority of the situation, “-and it appears that we’re sort of bound now, or something, so yeah,” Lance nodded. “I’m gonna go with babe. Unless, of course, you prefer something else? Mullet head, dog breath...oooo how about WereBear!” 

 

“Those are the worst,” Keith grumbled, and Lance bit back a grin.

 

“ _ You’re _ the worst.” He squeezed Keith’s hand in his own, and Shiro returned, sporting a long jacket and carrying several blankets, with Allura at his side.

 

“Keith, you still with us buddy?” he asked, and Keith sent him a weak thumbs up. “Ok good. Just stay awake for now, alright? Allura said she knows a doctor who treats our kind. She’s going to take us to him.”

 

“I’m not leaving Lance,” Keith heard himself mumble, and Shiro huffed out a breath.

 

“I’m not asking you to. I can’t anyways, since you’ve claimed him. Separating you now would be more painful than it’s worth. Besides, it looks like he needs a few bandaids himself.”

 

Keith hummed, his mind too fuzzy to fully register what Shiro meant. So long as he was able to stay with Lance, nothing else mattered. 

 

“Keith,” Allura’s voice added to the mix. “What you did was commendable. Foolish, yes, and incredibly unwise to do alone, but brave nonetheless. I thank you.”

 

Keith didn’t reply. His body was growing too heavy to even fathom forming a response. He snuggled deeper into Lance’s arms, smiling slightly as their grip on him tightened, and exhaled contentedly. 

 

“Keith, you have to stay awake for me,” Lance murmured, and Keith nodded absently. As much as he wanted to drift off to sleep, he knew doing so with an untreated concussion would do more harm than good. 

 

“I’ll carry him out,” Allura said, and Shiro nodded once before going to retrieve his prosthetic and aid Coran with chaining up Lotor. “Lance, come with me, if you will.”

 

Suddenly he was being lifted, and Keith made to protest the loss of Lance’s arms around him, until fingers laced through his own, squeezing reassuringly.

 

“It’s ok, I’m right here.”

 

Keith smiled, letting his eyes drift shut as Lance’s voice washed over him. The last things he saw were Coran and Shiro tying Lotor up, his body limp and bloodied; Allura’s stern face, bruises forming on her upper lip as she marched him from the warehouse, and the blue of Lance’s eyes as they watched him unrelentingly; calming and safe, and tinged with a tenderness that had Keith’s heart turning to mush inside him.

 

_ I could get used to that… _

 

Lance’s mouth was moving, but Keith couldn’t hear was he was saying. His ears were ringing violently, but as his eyes focused on the boy’s lips, he swore he saw the shape of his name formed several times over, and then an endearing, lopsided smile was sent his way.

 

_ Yeah...I could get used to that. _

 

_ **** _

 

He awoke sometime later that night; the darkness of the room around him an indication of the hour. It was quiet, save for the sound of his own pulse in his ears, but as Keith’s eyes adjusted to the lack of light, he found that he was not at all alone in the room. 

 

Another bed, looking mildly used but empty, and a chair with a discarded blanket smelling strongly of his brother tossed over its side, made up the furniture.

 

_ So someone was here. And recently from the looks of it. _

 

_ But where is here? _

 

Keith blinked, eyes wandering down to the multiple tubes attached to his arm, all leading up to a stand with several bags of liquid that dripped in rhythm.

 

_ Ah. A hospital. _

 

_ Interesting. _

 

Keith tried to flip over onto his side, but found the effort too painful to continue with, and sighed in resignation as he stared up at the ceiling.

 

He wasn’t sure what time it was; or how long he had been out. All he knew was a steady, consistent throb all over his body, and a sharp pulling near his chest.

 

Keith glanced down as the pull intensified, as if urging him forward, and all at once a door slid open, and light filled the room as a figure stepped inside.

 

“Keith?”

 

His head jerked in the direction of the sound; pulse racing as he recognized who it belonged to.

 

“Lance?” he croaked, voice raw and thick. He swallowed, then tried sitting up as he heard footsteps hesitantly approach. 

 

“No, shh, stay laying down,” Lance urged, and all at once there he was, standing near Keith’s bed and smiling down at him. “Doctor’s orders.”

 

Keith took a moment to simply stare, the tightness in his chest easing off with Lance’s proximity.

 

_ The claim...that must be what it is. _

 

His mood dropped off at the realization, and he sighed deeply as he broke eye contact.

 

“Listen, Lance, I wanted to apologize again for putting you through all that and-”

 

“Keith,” Lance chuckled sweetly, keeping his hands in his pockets as he rocked from foot to foot. “You’ve said sorry like, fifty times already. Everytime I come visit you, that’s all you can get out before passing out again.”

 

_ What?! _

 

“‘Visit?” How long have I been here for!”

 

Lance laughed quietly again, the sound settling Keith’s nerves and calming him. 

 

“Not long, a few days,” Lance explained, and Keith groaned.

 

“Jesus,” he muttered, and then recalled Lance had suffered his own set of injuries. “Are you alright? I’m so sorry I-”

 

“Hush,” Lance cooed, and Keith did as he was asked. “I’m perfectly back to normal. Better even. It was  _ you _ that really suffered. Had us all pretty worried. Your brother especially. He’s hardly left your side.”

 

Keith hummed as he took in the information.

 

“I take it you’ve met?”

 

Lance nodded, and Keith wondered if Shiro had said anything embarrassing about him while he was passed out. 

 

“Where is he now?”

 

Lance shrugged. 

 

“Allura came by earlier to speak with him. Something about transferring Queen Elsa to the pound.”

 

It took a moment for Keith to register who ‘Queen Elsa’ was, and then he registered the rest of Lance’s sentence.

 

“The  _ pound?!”  _

 

Lance chuckled on an exhale, staring at Keith's blanket absently. 

 

“Well, she called it something else. Some high tech prison or whatever, but I prefer pound.” 

 

Keith watched as the corners of Lance’s lips twitched upwards, and felt his own smile grow in reply. 

 

It faded quickly though, and Keith stared up at the ceiling again as he asked his next question.

 

“So I’m guessing they filled you in on everything? About...what we are?”

 

Lance nodded again, making to sit on the edge of Keith’s bed with his hands still firmly tucked in his pockets.

 

“Yeah, you could say I’m pretty  _ aware  _ of the situation.” He broke off laughing as Keith groaned loudly at the pun.

 

“That was terrible.”

 

“ _ You’re  _ terrible,” Lance shot back, then grinned as Keith rolled his eyes at the banter. 

“But seriously,” he went on after a moment. “Werewolves and stuff? That’s wild! I never knew any of it was real.”

 

Keith grunted, sinking his head down lower on the pillows as his skull began to ache. He wasn’t about to end his and Lance’s conversation though, and thus ignored the pain. 

 

“Now you know why I didn’t like that silly costume you were wearing back at the café.”

 

Lance huffed out laugh, looking suddenly sheepish as he finally withdrew his hands from his pockets.

 

“Actually, speaking of…” he trailed off, taking out a pair of wolf ears from his jacket and swiftly placing them on Keith’s head. He sat back, tilting his head in admiration as Keith froze. “There. Much better.”

 

_ No way… _

 

“You did  _ not  _ just put those on me…”

 

Lance grinned innocently, eyes alight with mischief. 

 

“Like I said before, you look cute with ears. They suit you.”

 

Keith felt his face flush, and glanced away as Lance beamed down at him. There was a moment of silence, and then Lance was clearing his throat.

 

“Um, Shiro sort of explained what happened back with Lotor while you were resting. About the claiming and all that-” He broke off as Keith shut his eyes, guilt once again creeping into his gut as he thought about what he had done.

 

_ It was the only way- _

 

“Stop,” Lance said, and Keith frowned over at him. “I can tell from your expression that you’re gonna apologize again, but here me out.” 

 

Keith paused, taking a deep breath before nodding once.

 

“Shiro said what you did is an old Werewolf thing that used to be done to protect human...uh, lovers, I guess,” he blushed, and Keith glanced away awkwardly. 

 

_ Oh my god…. _

 

“But anyways,” Lance went on, coughing slightly in the process. “He also said it’s binding, for life, which was sort of why it was discontinued with the new codes or whatever. I sort of zoned out that part because it was long and boring and your brother is sort of scary-”

 

Keith chuckled despite himself, imagining Shiro lecturing Lance on ancient Were culture.  

 

“The important part is that,” Lance continued, and Keith turned his head to better face him, “in order for a claim to work, it has to be mutual. Both parties have to feel the same...”

 

His voice faded, and Keith gaped numbly as Lance’s words were processed. 

 

_ Mutual… _

 

_ Feel the same…? _

 

_ Does that mean- _

 

“You like me?!” 

 

Lance blinked down at him, his face a mask of red. Then his face broke out in a toothy grin, and he stared at a spot on the floor.

 

“Um...yeah. I guess I do.”

 

Keith was over the moon. His insides were swirling pleasantly as Lance’s confession filled his ears.

 

_ Lance likes me! _

 

It was childish to feel so giddy, Keith knew, but he couldn’t help it. 

 

_ He likes me! _

 

“And uh,” Lance was saying, still staring at the floor, and Keith bit his lower lip to try and hide the goofy grin threatening to break out on his face. “You...like me?”

 

His question was soft, full of hesitation and doubt, and Keith frowned slightly.

 

_ Obviously I like you,  _ he thought, but didn't say so. Clearly Lance needed reassurance on the matter, despite what they had gone through, and Keith was more than willing to give it. Instead of a verbal confirmation however, Keith reached over with the arm not currently strapped to an IV drip, and took Lance’s hand in his own. 

 

Blue eyes flickered down to where their fingers entangled, following their movement as Keith brought Lance’s hand down to rest on his chest, just above where he had marked himself as he made his claim.

 

Lance was quiet as he gaped down at their hands, and then his gaze hesitantly shifted up to Keith’s face, where he swallowed thickly before hastily turning away.

 

“Right, yeah of course.” He cleared his throat once again before making to stand. “Well, I should let you get some rest, and all that-”

 

“Don’t go!” 

 

Keith hadn’t meant for the words to fly out of him so loudly, but they did the trick. Lance paused, hand still tangled with Keith’s, and he tilted his head in question.

 

“I mean, if you don’t want to…” Keith took a shaky breath, suddenly nervous for having made such a ridiculous request. Surely Lance had his own matters to attend to. How selfish of him was it to ask Lance to stay at his side! “Um, nevermind.”

 

He made to let go of Lance’s hand, but found the boy was unwilling to relinquish the hold. 

 

“You want me to stay?” he asked softly, and Keith nodded slowly after a moment. 

 

“Yes. Please. But only if you want-”

 

Lance silenced him with a grin, then made a shooing motion with his free hand.

 

“I do. I mean, I  _ have _ been sleeping in this room for the last few night anyways, so…”

 

“Wait...what? Why?” Keith asked, and Lance’s cheeks flushed anew.

 

He scratched the back of his neck absently as he answered.

 

“Well, your brother sort of mentioned that claims and Ancient bonds sort of had a...healing period. If I get too far away from you my chest starts to hurt, and it gets worse the longer I’m gone. I figured it would be the same for you, so I’ve sort of been sleeping in the bed next to you at night, and just...hanging out during the day.”

 

Keith was speechless as he gaped up at Lance. All this time, while he had been healing under the influence of painkillers, and Lance had stayed with him. Days, Lance had told him.

 

_ All because of me. _

 

Keith felt awful. 

 

“Oh my god, Lance, I’m so sorry I had no idea it would be like this and-” he broke off as Lance put a finger over his lips, smiling down at him tenderly.

 

“I don’t wanna hear it. I know you feel bad but honestly? I don’t mind at all. Coran is  _ more _ than understanding about work, and I just told Hunk and Pidge that I was feeling a bit sick, so they don’t worry about where I am.” He shrugged. “Besides, you sorta talk in your sleep, and say some pretty...um,” Lance’s ears were steaming, and Keith groaned as he realized what Lance was getting at. 

 

_ Oh GOD! _

 

_ Uncool Keith. Uncool. _

 

“It’s cute though,” Lance continued, which didn’t help Keith’s growing embarrassment. “And I managed to get a bunch of really adorable photos of you. You make the strangest faces when you dream, and sometimes your arms and legs move, like you’re running.”

 

Keith shut his eyes, willing himself to merge with the bed and disappear, but Lance was chuckling, and the sound was enough to keep him where he was.

 

“Well, glad I was entertaining at least,” he mumbled, and Lance nodded.

 

“ _ Very.  _ Now scootch!” 

 

Keith's brows lowered in confusion, and Lance rolled his eyes.

 

“C’mon Big Bad Wolf, I’m tired of sleeping alone.” 

 

_ Oh.  _

 

_ OH! _

 

Keith hastily shifted so there was enough space for Lance to crawl up beside him. He tossed off his shoes, then settled himself so he was pressed up against Keith’s side, before sighing contently into Keith’s shoulder. 

 

“God, how are you this warm! It’s like a mini-heater!” Lance commented, and Keith hoped it was simply a Were thing, and not a reaction caused by having Lance so close. As it was, everywhere Lance was touching was sending tiny vibrations along his skin, making it hard to focus on much else.

 

“Let me know if I’m hurting you by the way,” Lance’s voice was muffled against him, and Keith felt his smile grow.

 

_ Even if you were, I wouldn’t tell you. You’d only move away and I wouldn’t have anyone to hold. _

 

Keith exhaled slowly, before shifting as best he could to get his arm to better wrap around Lance and draw him in closer. He then tossed one of his legs over the other boy, drawing him in to snuggle and letting his eyes fall shut as his cheek rested against the top of Lance’s head.

 

“Woah, a cuddler, are we?” Lance teased, and Keith responded by pulling him tighter. Lance squeaked, but made no effort to move away. Instead one of his own arms came to wrap around Keith’s torso, careful not to put too much pressure anywhere near his ribs. 

 

There were a few moments of silence, not at all awkward or tense, in which Keith was sure Lance had fallen asleep. But then the boy was talking again, his words hushed and breath tickling Keith’s exposed skin. 

 

“Hey Keith?”

 

“Hmm?” 

 

“Do you want to go on a date with me?”

 

Keith felt his grin grow, and buried his face in Lance’s hair as his heart sang to the heavens.

 

“As I recall, I believe I’m owed one free coffee.” 

 

He felt Lance’s laugh more than heard it as the boy went on.

 

“Good. Cool. Neato. I know just the place.”

 

“It better not be an abandoned warehouse,” Keith teased, and Lance shook his head against him.

 

“Too soon! And no. I have much more class than that.”

 

“Do you now,” Keith wondered absently, feeling his body grow heavy with fatigue. 

 

“Is that doubt I’m hearing? Oh man, prepare to have your mind blown.” Lance said, and Keith nuzzled closer. “I know the chef personally. Great guy. And I get an employee discount so there’s that.”

 

“Oh my god, please say you aren’t taking me on a date to your  _ workplace _ !” 

 

“You love it,” Lance teased. “And it’s sort of fitting, don’t you think? Full Moon Roast: where Weres come to dine.”

 

“Can’t wait,” Keith mumbled sleepily, but there was a smile playing at his lips.

 

“Best part is,” Lance went on, “they allow dogs.”

 

_ Oh my god. _

 

But Keith couldn’t bring himself to groan at the joke. Instead he laughed lightly at it, before leaning back just enough so that Lance’s face was exposed. 

 

“What about wolves?” 

 

But instead of letting Lance answer, Keith ducked his head, pressing his lips to Lance’s nose and relishing in the small startled exhale from the boy. 

 

He leaned back, eyelids half shut as they took in the endearing image of Lance’s eyes blown wide and his cheeks three shades darker than normal. He smiled at the reaction, and at how bashful Lance was being over such a simple gesture.

 

“I-uh,” Lance stuttered, avoiding Keith’s gaze. “What was the question?”

 

“Oh nothing,” Keith mused. “You were just telling me how awesome and brave and strong I am-”

 

“Ha. Pretty sure that wasn’t it,” Lance interrupted, and Keith chuckled. “Also, did you just kiss me?”

 

Keith raised an eyebrow, before smirking coyly. 

 

“Kiss? That? No way.  _ This _ is how Weres kiss.” And with that he leaned forward again, licking the side of Lance’s face sloppily and laughing as Lance squirmed in his grip.

 

“ _ EW!” _ he yelped, and Keith grinned, pulling Lance in closer again and sighing as his eyes slid shut. “That was super nasty Keith!” 

 

“ _ You’re  _ super nasty,” Keith shot back lazily, and the boy grumbled into his chest.

 

“I expect a proper kiss on our date, you hear me?”

 

Keith hummed his agreement, planting one final peck to the top of Lance’s head before sinking into the mattress.

 

For once in his life, Keith welcomed the dreams as they came to take him. With Lotor trapped behind bars, Allura as their new alpha, and Lance safe from harm, Keith let his worries flow away.

 

All that mattered was Lance, curled up snugly against him, and the sound of his breathing growing more even with sleep.

 

Keith’s heart cooed in contentment as Lance’s body relaxed into his own; the area he had made his claim buzzing warmly and sending waves of tranquility out across his skin and deep into his bones. 

 

And as he sank further into sleep, Keith smiled, for once unafraid of what tomorrow would bring. 

No longer would he need to cower in fear over Zarkon, or Lotor. 

 

Shiro and he were safe,  _ finally _ , and with Allura as their new alpha, Keith was eager to see how things would turn out. 

 

Those were all things to be happy about, but, in the present moment, Keith hardly thought about them. 

 

All that existed was Lance.

 

And maybe that was the claim talking; their bond filling his ears with whimsical nonsense of love.

 

Or maybe it was just all the painkilling drugs Keith was on messing with his brain.

 

Whatever the case, Keith allowed himself to find joy in the knowledge that Lance was safe in his arms, and that their feelings for each other were mutual.

 

_ He likes me!  _

 

_ And I like him. _

 

And with that, Keith fell asleep; the smell of coffee beans and lemon pledge filling his nose and bringing with them the promise of many more moments with Lance to come.

 

His dreams were filled with laughter, dancing, and wolf ears, with Lance’s lopsided grin singing along enthusiastically to the Monster Mash.

 

_ Yep.  _

 

_ Definitely blaming the drugs on that one. _

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay happy ending!
> 
> Stay tuned for Watsonthebox and the guaranteed to be fluffy epilogue (I know because shes told me some of the parts and I cant wait. so cute)
> 
> Some notes to help clear things up:  
> 1\. Zarkon and Alfor were brothers, so when Zarkon killed Alfor, his right to alpha was illegitimate (blood can't challenge blood, unless its within the Pures, and it's child vs parent)  
> 2\. So when Lotor went to challenge Zarkon, Zarkon refused, since Lotor was not his true son  
> 3\. Lotor was within his rights to challenge, but since Zarkon is of the Pures, he has the right to refuse until his child challenges  
> 4\. After Zarkon was killed, his pack was disbanded, though only temporarily. Since Zarkon's claim to alpha was not legit, the pack was still bound under Alfor's, meaning only Allura had the right to claim it  
> 5\. Hence Lotor summoning her (using the letter)  
> 6\. Had he defeated her, his claim would have been stronger, and he would have been able to summon back a good majority of those that left  
> 7\. When Allura one and Lotor submitted, she gained the rights to Alpha, which she claimed, but allowed those who had fled to decide for themselves if they wanted to join her or not  
> 8\. As for Keith and Lance?  
> 9\. The claim binds them for life, meaning no one (of Were heritage) can harm Lance (it'll bounce back on them tenfold)  
> 10\. No protections are granted to Keith, except an inner strength/calm when he's around Lance  
> 11\. For the first few months they need to be in close proximity, otherwise their chests will ache (the pain grows more intolerable the further they stray from each other)  
> 12\. Lance was given paid vacation from Coran due to this, which is great, since he's basically getting cash to cuddle  
> 13\. Keith is just happy he can properly heal and get a decent sleep  
> 14\. Well, also he's really fucking likes Lance. He had to have, otherwise the claim wouldn't have worked  
> 15\. Same goes to Lance.  
> 16\. Stupid lovesick fools.  
> 17\. They'll eventually get used to the bond between them, and be able to tolerate the ache of missing the other when apart. But that's just part of it. For now they get to enjoy each others company and just have fun 
> 
> Thanks for sticking with this fic! It was fun to write and I know it got a bit confusing in the middle there (tends to happen when your chapter is influenced by a different au)  
> This was super fun though and I'm really grateful to have gotten the chance to work with @watsonthebox!   
> Can't wait to see the spicy boys in the epilogue ;)


	12. Forever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Was it ridiculous to get first date jitters?   
> ...it is?
> 
> ...Fuck you, no it isn’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lance and Keith go in their first date, and it does well to say the least. ;)

Lance couldn’t remember the last time he was this nervous. Actually, he didn’t think he had _ever_ been this nervous before.

 

_This is ridiculous. I’m being ridiculous. I’ve already seen him naked. There is no way I’m this nervous for our first date._

 

And yet here he was. He arrived at the Full Moon Roast over thirty minutes early, pacing up and down and around all the tables. He had slipped into the restroom and checked his appearance for the umpteenth time (seriously, he had lost count).

He straightened out the nonexistent wrinkles on his light blue button-up, and wiped his clammy palms on his lightly ripped jeans. And Lance is pretty sure that if his heart rate increases by just a couple of more beats per minute, he’ll have to admit himself into a hospital.

So yeah, to say he was nervous would be the underestimate of the century.

He was currently pacing all around the café, weaving in between the tables, occasionally stopping at the bright display case that showed off Hunk’s pastries, checking his reflection in the glass and smoothing down his hair and checking his teeth.

He had bought a new pack of breath mints, and it was already halfway finished.

 

“Will you stop pacing around! You’re starting to make _me_ nervous, and I’m not the one going on the date!”

 

Lance jumped and rubbed the back of his neck as he sheepishly gave Pidge a grin.

 

“Sorry Pidgeon, I guess I just have a little nervous energy.”

 

Lance jumped even higher when a hand suddenly clapped down on his shoulder, almost making his knees buckle beneath him.

 

“No need to worry, Lance my boy! I got the whole shop reserved for you two love birds, so y’all can just enjoy each other’s company without any distractions!”

Coran twirled his mustache in between his fingers, a proud grin on his face.

“Uh, thanks Coran! The whole café. To ourself. Just me and Keith. Alone.”

Lance deeply swallowed.

“With just you guys here.”

 

“Yep! And don’t you fret, we’ll be sure to set the mood, or whatever you kids call it!”

Coran heartily patted Lance’s back a few times before whisking away toward the kitchen, while Lance began to sweat when he caught the mischievous glint in Pidge’s eye.

 

“Great. That’s-thats great.”

 

Lance sat down at one of the empty tables, scrolling through his social media to pass the time and to hopefully settle his nerves.

A few minutes had passed when he heard a car door outside the café doors. Lance quickly ran his tongue over his teeth to check for anything stuck in them (again), before he rose out of his seat.

He couldn’t stop the smile from slowly spreading across his face when he saw that tuff of black hair through the glass doors. Lance’s heartbeat quickened as he watched Keith reach the entrance, and swung the door open.

And when Keith stepped into Full Moon Roast, Lance was pretty sure his heart stopped (he should really see a doctor about this. This couldn’t be healthy).

Keith was wearing an outfit similar to his, instead wearing red button-up with a faded black denim jacket, the outfit completed with jeans.

Lance’s smile widened when his gaze met Keith’s, who smiled softly back at him. Lance felt the familiar tug in his chest, pulling him towards Keith. Keith must’ve felt it as well because he too had began to make his way toward Lance.

Keith barely hesitated before drawing Lance into a hug, winding his arm around his waist. Lance melted into the embrace, relishing into the calm and happiness that washed over him and he wound his arms around Keith’s neck, lightly playing at his hair.

 

“I’ve missed you.”

Keith murmured into his neck, causing shivers to go up Lance’s spine.

“It’s only been a couple of days; you just can’t get enough of me can you?”

Keith pulled back slightly.

“No, I can’t.” He said, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

 

Lance could feel the blush on his face as he breathlessly let out, “I missed you too.”

 

“Oh for the love of- will you /please/ stop making out in front of the entire shop? I’m starting to get nauseous, and I haven’t even ate any of Hunk’s pastries!”

 

Keith turned bright red and quickly pulled away as Lance, who was equally as red, yelled back in embarrassment.

“We aren’t- we were just- go heckle Coran, you little gremlin!!”

Lance quickly grasped Keith’s hand and practically dragged him over to a corner table near the back of the café, where they could have more privacy. Lance cleared his throat, still feeling the slight burn in the tips of his ears.

 

“Sorry about that. I’m pretty sure Pidge’s life mission is to ruin mine and embarrass me in anyway possible. And they’re amazing at it, unfortunately.”

 

Keith chuckled warmly, the sound of it spread warmth in Lance’s chest.

“It’s alright. Shiro does it all the time, so I’m used to it.”

Lance couldn’t help as his shoulder sagged in relief. As the day progressed and the two downed a few cups of coffee and cappuccinos (“What, no ‘coffee art’ this time?” “Shut up, mullet.”) and talked about nothing in particular, Lance felt the nerves melt away.

Talking with Keith was probably the easiest thing he has ever done. The laughs came freely, along with the flirtation. Everything was going perfect.

Until Coran decided to pop up unexpectedly.

 

“Hello there, love doves! How is everything?”

Annnd back were the tense shoulders.

Lance forced out a smile and turned to his over zealous boss.

“Everything great! Just enjoying spending time together.” Lance turned back toward Keith, setting his elbow on the table and leaning his face against his hand. “Alone.”

Coran, completely oblivious, loudly clapped his hands together, a wide smile on his face.

 

“Wonderful! I had the lights dimmed and had Pidge play these modern love songs. I’m glad they are working because, believe me, I had my doubts! It’s much different than the type of music in my day!”

Lance groaned into his hands, and not so lightly dropped his head into the table upon seeing Keith’s growing blush as he was listening the Were.

“You see, the music back then was more authentic, more heartfelt! Less auto tune and space bars. It made the experience much more effective! For example, I remember this time where I had played music for my date at the time, and it didn’t take long before-“

“ALRIGHT!” Lance jumped up suddenly, scaring both Keith and Coran in the process.

 

Lance quickly walked over to Keith and took his hand, pulling him out of the seat.

“Keith and I would really love to hear the rest of your story, but Keith promised me to take me somewhere...that is a surprise! So sorry for the abrupt ending, but we should really get going before it gets dark.”

Lance didn’t even wait for Coran’s response as he hurried him and Keith toward the exit.

 

“Be _safe_ out there you too. Make sure you have the proper _protection_!“

Lance could practically see Pidge’s eyebrow wiggle as Hunk’s laugh rang throughout the café; Lance could hear Keith choke, sputtering.

 

Lance nearly tripped over his own feet trying to get out of the Full Moon Roast as fast as possible, tugging Keith behind him. Lance stumbled out of the café, cheeks aflame. He didn’t stopped speed-walking until they reach Keith’s (or maybe it was Shiro’s) car.

Lance nor Keith said a word as Keith fumbled with keys, unlocking the doors. Lance practically threw himself into the passenger seat.

He dropped his face his face in his hands and groaned, cheeks still warm in embarrassment.

 

_Please god, take me now._

 

Lance didn’t raise his head until he heard Keith start to chuckle, soft as first but then growing louder until the sound was bouncing around them.

Lance couldn’t help but just watch with wide eyes, that pulling feeling returning in his chest.

Lance vaguely identifies that feeling as _want_.

He wanted to pull Keith closer, wanted to feel him. He cheeks were now warm for an entirely different reason. Keith’s laugh died down, and he shook he head, hair falling into his face.

 

“You’re friends are...interesting.”

 

Keith laughs rang again when Lance groaned again, throwing his head agains the headrest.

“Interesting? More like a pain in my ass.”

Keith chuckled again before putting the keys into the ignition and turning, the car roaring to life, making Lance startle.

“Uh, Keith? Where are we going?”

“Well, you told Coran that I was taking you somewhere. Don’t want to turn me into a liar, do you?”

 

Their gaze lock and Lance just smiled warmly, eyes fond. Keith sent back a small smile, eyes running over Lance’s face before putting the car into drive and headed down the road.

A few moments of passed until Keith voice broke it, almost as smooth as the car engine.

“You know, Pidge terrifies me. That time I was in Full Moon Roast, I thought they were going to kill me.”

Lance chuckled, fondly recalling the memory. “Don’t worry, Pidge scares everyone. I’m not entirely convinced they haven’t killed a person.”

Keith snorted, eyes still focused on the road.

 

“But yeah, I felt the same way about Shiro. Until we talked, of course. But he still kinda scares me.”

Lance yelped and threw a hand on the roof to brace himself as Keith suddenly swerved, jerking the wheel.

“You what?!”

Lance could hear the panic in Keith voice.

“Jesus keep your eyes on the road!! I know my face was sculpted by the gods, but focus on driving and keeping us alive!”

Keith quickly steadied the vehicle with such a grace that Lance was impressed.

 

_Damn he’s a good driver. That’s kinda hot._

Lance shook his head.

_Alright, focus Lance. Get you mind out of the gutter. Stop thinking about how Keith is pretty much good at everything or he looks good while doing-_

 

Keith’s voice brought him back to reality.

“When did you talk to Shiro? More importantly, _what_ did you and Shiro talk about?”

Lance turned toward him, not bothering to hide the amusement in his voice.

“Are you nervous that he told me all your dirty secrets? Worried he embarrassed you?”

Keith silence was the only response he needed.

Lance reached out, resting his hand on top of Keith’s that was resting on the console, patting it.

He didn’t mention the slight blush that spread across the bridge of Keith’s nose; he probably looked the same. No, scratch that. He knew he looked the same if the heat he felt on his face said anything about it.

 

“Don’t worry, WereBear-“

“Oh my dear god, not _that_ nickname again.”

  
“It was when you were getting patched up after...you know.”

It was still a tender subject for Lance, even if a couple of weeks had already passed. He still had nightmares about it. More specifically, about Keith and what Lotor had done to him.

“We didn’t talk about anything too embarrassing. He just cleared up a few things, and I got to know him a little better.”

Keith just hummed, looking relieved, even if just a small amount. Lance felt his neck and the tip of his ears burn at the memory.

 

*****cue flashback sequence*****

Lance was sitting outside of the room Keith was in, right beside the door. The whole place smelled of strong chemicals..which is what a hospital usually smelled like.

Lance’s nerves had finally somewhat settled when he found out Keith was going to be okay, and when he had stitches stitched onto his back and his forehead. He was recovering shockingly well, which he was grateful for.

But there was one pain he couldn’t get rid of.

His chest was tight.

It felt as though someone had a fist around his heart, squeezing it as if it were a stress toy, or as if someone had place a weight on top of his chest that was too heavy to remove.

And he found it only lessened and gave relief when he was close to Keith.

So here he was, hoping that Keith was okay and sitting outside his room (because the doctor hadn’t allowed anyone to see him yet, much to his and Shiro’s annoyance).

He was alone, left with his thoughts, worrying about Keith.

And then Shiro came up to him, sitting down beside him. A few minutes of silence passed before Shiro spoke.

 

“He’ll be okay. Keith is a tough cookie, and the most stubborn person I know.”

 

Lance just smiled slightly at him, though it didn’t react his eyes. Shiro noticed and sighed softly, placing a hand of his shoulder.

Another few moments of silence passed before Shiro cleared his throat, gaining Lance’s attention.

“I actually wanted to talk to you. Just to explain somethings about who we are. And what Keith done back there.”

Shiro paused, making sure Lance was paying attention. Shiro has his full focus. He nodded and then continued.

“To put it simply without getting too complicated, Keith had formed a bond between you two. It’s an old, sacred bond that Weres used for their lovers. Mate more specifically.”

Lance felt his face catch on fire, but didn’t interrupt, urging Shiro to continue.

“And this bond...it’s not supposed to be taken lightly. It’s meant to last forever, and to break it is extremely difficult, not to mention painful.”

Shiro then gave him a small smile.

“But for this bond to actually work, both parties must fell the same. They have to _want_ to be bonded to each other. It isn’t something anyone can just do.”

Lance perked at that, a smile finally reaching his eyes.

“So Keith feels the same? He likes me back, and actually wanted this?”

Lance was worried that Keith just done it to protect him, and after everyone recovered, wanted to break it and have nothing to do with Lance.

And honestly, that would’ve hurt more than anything Lotor ever done to him.

“Oh definitely,” Shiro chuckled. “The small amount of time Keith spoke to you, I could tell he was already smitten. I’ve never seen him act like that before. Every time I asked about Full Moon Roast, he had this daze look and fond smile on his face. I knew he was a goner.”

Lance let a shit-eating grin come across his features.

“Oh, so basically the same look you get when you talk, look, or think about Allura?”

Shiro must’ve chocked on his spit or something because Lance found him suddenly folded over himself, coughing harshly.

Lance laughed at Shiro whipped his head over to look at him accusingly, face flushed crimson.

“W-What?!”

Lance rolled his eyes. “Please, you’re not fooling anyone. You like her and it’s obvious. It’s no doubt that Allura is beautiful, but she’s also smart and super strong. I remember the first time a met her, I flirted with her immediately, just for fun. Then she just smiled at me for a second and pinched my ear.”

Shiro still said nothing, face fully red and mouth hung wide open. Lance decided to take mercy on him.

“Okay, okay lover boy; tell me everything I need to know about werewolves.”

*****end flashback sequence*****

“Hey, we’re here.” Keith said, bringing Lance back to reality.

Lance looked out of the passenger window as Keith got out of the car. His gaze was met with a thicket of trees, not even a trail in sight.

Lance hesitately unbuckled, sending Keith a grin when he opened the door for him.

“Wow Keith, such a gentleman. You’re making me swoon!”

Keith rolled his eyes, trying (and failing) to hide the smile of his face. Keith offered his hand, which Lance happily took, helping him out of the car.

None of them mentioned that they hadn’t let go, even after had Lance gotten out of the car and shut the door behind him.

“You took me to the woods? You’re not planning on murdering me, are you?”

Keith threw his head back, laughter echoing. “No, no. If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn’t take you to the woods. That would be too obvious.”

“...okay, now I’m concerned.”

Keith just reassuringly squeezed his hand and laced their fingers together, sending flutters throughout his stomach.

“Don’t worry, Lance. We’re just gonna walk for a few minutes, and then we’ll be there.”

“What is it?” Lance inquired.

”Well that would go against the whole concept of a surprise, wouldn’t it?”

Lance scoffed and rolled his eyes, but willingly followed Keith into the wooded area.

They walked hand in hand the entire time, even when Lance hopped onto a fallen tree, walking along it with his free hand stretched out to the side, maintaining his balance, his other tightly grasping Keith’s.

They talked about nothing and everything.

Lance talking about his family and crazy siblings, his heart warming when he noticed Keith was listening intently. In turn, Keith talked about his childhood, as much as he was comfortable with. He talked about his life with Shiro and some embarrassing stories, which Lance loved and Keith loved telling.

They had been walking for about thirty minutes, and the sun was sitting low in the sky, the promise of night close by when Keith suddenly stopped.

“We’re here.” And Keith pulled Lance along, entering a small opening.

 

Lance couldn’t help but stare with wide eyes at the scene before him. Keith had took him to an open field, soft green grass covering its entirety. There were a variety of flowers scatter across the field. And, Lance’s favorite part, there was a small pond in the field, it’s water glistening under the setting sunshine.

 

“What is this place?” Lance breathed, awed at the landscape.

Keith simply shrugged. “I come here sometimes when I need time to myself, or if something is bothering me and I can’t get it off my mind. I found it on accident when I was exploring. Now it’s kinda my secret spot.”

Lance turned to him, a fondness on his face the neither of them could fully comprehend.

Lance startled Keith by suddenly wrapping his arms across Keith’s neck, hugging tightly and tucking his face against his neck.

“Thank you. For everything.”

Lance hugged tighter when he felt Keith wrap his arms around his waist. They stood there for a while, basking in each other’s warmth, enjoying the comfort and peace that bloomed in their chest, when Lance pulled back, eyes bright with excitement.

“Come on! I wanna check this place out!”

And with that, Lance took off, immediately headed toward the pond, the grass softly crunching beneath his feet. Lance barely heard the chuckle from Keith, but knew that Keith was right behind him.

Lance reached the water, smiling as he crouched down and stuck his hand in the pond to check the temperature.

 

_Perfect_.

 

Smile widening, he turned back toward Keith who had finally reached him, and started stripping. Lance laughed when Keith nearly tripped, face almost glowing red.

“W-What are you going?!”

Lance had just tossed his shirt over his head before he paused, giving Keith a look.

“Uh..I’m going to swim. I don’t want to get my clothes wet!” Lance smirked and sent him a wink. “Wanna join me?”

Somehow, Keith flushed an even darker shade of red.

“But we, we didn’t even bring a change of clothes, forget a bathing suit!”

Lance just arched an eyebrow, slowly grinning.

“I know. Who says I’ll be wearing clothes? Go ole fashioned skinny dipping is the way to go.”

 

Lance should’ve been concerned at the sound that ripped out of Keith’s throat. He peered at Keith whose face was now so red, that it was almost purple. His mouth was moving but no words were coming out.

Lance tried to keep it his laughter, not very successful as a giggles passed his lips. It seemed that when Lance started to work at his pants, Keith finally relearned English.

 

“Lance!! We can’t just _skinny dip!_ ”

“Why not? Don’t tell me you’re shy. It’s not like I haven’t seen anything. Literally. I’ve seen you completely naked Keith. And may I say, my hunch was correct.”

Keith cocked his head to the side. “What hunch?”

Lance grin turn shit-eating.

“You’re ass is very nice. Probably the best I’ve ever seen.”

Lance didn’t even try to hold back his laughter this time when Keith groaned and hid his face behind his hands.

“Think of this as us getting even. I’ve seen you naked, so it’s only fair if you see me naked. You’re welcome by the way.”

“Lance, I’m not skinny dipping with you.”

“Hmph. Fine party pooper, I’ll just go by myself.”

“ _Lance_.”

Lance sighed and rolled his eyes, pouting and giving Keith a dramatic hurt look, who in turn, gave him an unimpressed, disapproving look that would’ve been effective if Keith’s face and ears were bright red.

 

“You’re no fun. But fine, we’ll save the skinny dipping for another time. Now I have to find my shirt.”

 

Lance turned his back toward Keith, not hearing the sharp intake of breath behind him.

“Where is it? I could’ve sworn-oh! There it is!”

Lance walked forward a bit, picking it up and dusting the grass off of it.

“Found it! That would’ve been embarrassing if I couldn’t find it. Imagine trying to explain why I was-“

 

Lance words got caught in his throat when he suddenly felt hesitant warm fingers on his back.

Lance shivered as the fingers moved down his back slowly, cautiously.

“Lance...”

He didn’t respond. He knew what Keith saw.

Apparently, when Lance was unconscious, Lotor had done a number on him, especially his back.

There were four wide, ragged gashes that went across the entirety of his back. The claws were unmistakable.

The raised scars were sensitive, slightly raised and lighter than his mocha skin.

“Not too pretty, huh? Although, I do like to think it makes me look more badass. I should start wearing tank tops. Maybe even an eyepatch.” Lance joked.

Keith didn’t laugh. Just continued to trace his finger along each individual jagged scar.

“Lance..I’m so sorry.”

“Hey, none of that! You didn’t cause this; it was all Lotor’s fault.”

Lance let his voice go soft, barely a whisper.

“Besides, I would gladly go through it all again if it meant I could be with you.”

 

Keith didn’t say anything, though his fingers stopped. A few moments passed, and Lance thought he said something wrong.

He was about to apologize when his breath hitched when he felt the unmissable press of lips across a scar.

He shakily let out the breath when the lips moved down the scar, onto the next one.

Lance felt the blush spread from his neck to the very tips of his ears.

Not being able to take it any longer, Lance spun himself around, resting his hands on Keith’s shoulders, whose hands immediacy went to his waist, thumbs rubbing small circle into the soft skin.

There were a few moments pass between them, searching into each other’s eyes. Lance was pretty sure you could cut the tension with a rusty spoon.

It was like a rubber-band, stretched to its limit.

Then Keith’s gaze flickered to Lance’s mouth.

And just like that, the band snapped.

Lance wasn’t sure, didn’t really care, who leaned in first, but suddenly they were both leaning forward.

Keith paused went they were mere inches apart, peering into Lance’s eyes one last time.

Lance brought one hand to Keith’s face, cupping his jaw and letting his thumb run across his cheekbone. Keith laughed a little breathlessly, and when Lance gave him the fond look and smile, the gap between disappeared.

Kissing Keith wasn’t like a gulp of water in the desert, it’s wasn’t fireworks or an explosion.

No, kissing Keith...was like coming home.

It was coming home to something familiar, something comforting. It was somewhere Lance knew he was belonged.

Welcomed.

 

Lance pressed into the kiss, fingers running through Keith’s hair, playing at the ends.

Keith hummed, pressing Lance closer to him, one hand moving to rest against his lower back. Lance pulled back, taking a quick breath before his lips were captured again.

One kiss turned into two, then three, then Lance stopped counting.

Keith was the one to pull back this time, panting slightly, lips red and breathless.

“Do you feel that?”

Lance didn’t need to ask because he already knew. His chest was light, bubbly even. Like he was floating. He nodded, just as breathless.

“Yeah. Yeah I feel it. Is that because of our bond?”

“I don’t know. It could be; or it could be just you. I haven’t figured that out yet.”

Lance chuckled and shook his head fondly. “Wow, who knew you were such a sap. Well, I guess it makes sense; you are a cuddler.”

 

Keith gently pushed him and rolled his eyes. He then took his bottom lip between his teeth and worried it, the action not going unnoticed by Lance.

 

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

Keith didn’t meet his eyes, casting his gaze to the ground.

“I’m sorry. Again for bonding with you without asking. Bonding is supposed to be forever, and that scares me, and I know t scare you too. It’s not like you agreed to any of-“

Lance pressed his finger against Keith’s lips, cutting him off.

“I’m gonna stop you right there. Okay, so yes I didn’t know what I was getting into, or ask to be bonded.”

Keith flinched at that.

“But..” Lance cupped Keith’s face with both hands, giving him a lopsided grin.

 

“Not for one second do I regret it. Keith, all my life, all I ever wanted to be was wanted, to be loved. And I always thought I would never get it. The idea of me being loved had become foreign to me, dream that was only going to be that: a dream.”

 

Lance let his thumbs run across Keith’s cheek bones, ignoring the water that began to form, making his vision turn blurry.

 

“And then you came along. And when we talked, I felt something that I had never felt before, and I was scared. I was scared that _you_ didn’t feel it. And I wasn’t ready to let that go. Wasn’t ready to let you go. I was so, so scared.”

 

Lance smiled turned wobbly, and couldn’t help the few tears that fell down his face.

“And then Lotor happened, and you saved me. You bonded with me. Now that I know that the bond wouldn’t have worked unless it was mutual, I was so relieved. I was..happy. You made that dream a reality. And that’s something I would never give up.”

 

Lance couldn’t see, but he suddenly felt a wetness run down his hands where he was holding Keith’s face. The sudden lips against him made him jump, but he quickly melting into it.

Keith pulled back as quick as it had begun. He chuckled wetly, wiping away Lance’s tears with his thumb.

 

“I love you.”

 

His words were barely a whisper, but it rang throughout the field.

Lance laughed as the tears fell faster, hugging Keith tightly and whispering into his neck.

 

“I love you too.”

 

Lance wasn’t sure how long they stood there, holding one another, both sobbing. Keith was the first to pull back, reaching for Lance’s hand.

“It’s getting late. I should get you back home so you can rest; it’s been a long day.”

Keith sent him a smile.

“A very good, exhausting day.”

 

Lance returned the smile and nodded, letting Keith lead him back to the car.

The walk back was more quiet, just the two of them walking hand in hand, listening soft sounds of the woods around them.

The car ride back to Lance’s apartment even more so, just the occasional smile and thumbs running across knuckles.

And like a proper gentleman, Keith walked Lance to his apartment door, still holding his hand.

 

“I had fun today.” Lance murmured.

“Me too.”

Keith sent him a smirk.

“Fun enough for a second date?”

Lance rolled his eyes, and nudged him. “I’ll think about it.”

 

Keith scoffed and Lance couldn’t help but laugh.

 

“Hey, Keith?”

“Yes Lance?”

“Thank you.”

Confusion swept over Keith’s features. “For what?”

Lance simply shrugged. “For wanting me.”

Without hesitating, Keith responded as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

“I’ll always want you, Lance. And nothing will ever change that.”

 

Lance knew for sure who started leaning in first this time because he grabbed the front of Keith’s shirt in his fist and pulled him forward, pressing his mouth to his.

Gone were the shy, innocent closed-mouth kisses.

This kiss was heavy and demanding, desperate even as Lance pressed himself against Keith.

And when Keith ran his tongue over Lance’s bottom lip, it was game over.

Lance immediately opened his mouth, welcoming Keith eagerly. Keith surged forward, pressing Lance against his front door, making it rattle.

His leg slid in between Lance’s, and swallowed the gasp that escaped his lips.

Lance fingers wound themselves into Keith’s hair, tugging at the strands, feeling the groan come from Keith’s chest.

Keith pulled his mouth away from Lance’s, who whines at the lost, but soon turned into fast pants as Keith latched on to his neck.

Lance instinctually tilted his head back to give Keith more access, the back of his head hitting the door.

 

“Keith.”

 

Lance would’ve been embarrassed at how he wrecked his voice was, but he honestly really didn’t fucking care.

Keith hummed, lips still attached to Lance’s neck, nipping at the skin, smiling when he felt the full body shiver go through Lance.

 

“Keith. Stay.”

Keith froze and pulled back, staring into Lance’s eyes, his heart pounding.

“Lance, are you sure-“

“Keith. Yes, please. Stay with me.”

 

Now it was Keith’s turn to shiver.

Lance smirked when he watched Keith’s composure crumble, but then again, Lance wasn’t much to talk.

His hands were shaking as he fumbled with the keys to unlock the door

When he _finally_ opened the door, he wasted no time in dragging Keith inside, his lips seeking his (which found his immediately).

 

Eager hands ran all over each other, and Keith hazardously kicked the door shut behind them, clothes soon disregarded, littering the floor.

 

Yes, Lance was still scared of forever, scared of his future. He would still be scared of what life threw his and Keith’s way.

Lance was still scared. And maybe so was Keith.

But with Keith by his side, and Lance by his, the promise of the future seemed less threatening.

It was still frightening, but Lance and Keith welcomed it with open arms, together.

 

Forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end has arrived. I’m not gonna cry. I feel like I just watched my child leave and go offf to college/university or something. Fuck you, I’m not crying!

**Author's Note:**

> Alright [watsonthebox](https://www.watsonthebox@tumblr.com) it's your turn.
> 
> Ball is in your court...or should I say...werewolf Keith is in your coffee shop au. 
> 
> Let's see where this goes :)
> 
>  
> 
> [My Tumblr](https://vulpes--vulpes@tumblr.com)


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